When Tools Become Human
by Envious Sloth
Summary: [KiruMaki Prime Minister/Assassin AU] In light of the new prime minister, Kirumi Toujou, an uprising has occurred, making the town scream in riots against those entitled to the name "Ultimate." This uprising, however, believes that they can make all their troubles go away: an Ultimate as a tool to resolve all their issues.
1. Prologue

"So, you understand the plan, yes?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Every single bit of it? Or is your brain too pathetic for it, huh?"

"No, ma'am."

"Alright then. And you understand the consequences if you come back here without executing the plan?"

"..."

"Huh? What was that, mind drone?"

"... Yes, ma'am."

"Say that again? I. Can't. Hear you!"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And _what_ are those exact consequences?"

"Should I return after the plan fails, I will be executed."

"Absolutely! Well, I'm certainly glad we understand each other, hm? But you know, if the plan fails, I'd rather you _don't_ show your face around here instead, okay? Then again, what would your purpose be if you don't carry this out for us? Oh, perhaps you can just deal with the mess yourself and off yourself instead having the rest of us get our hands dirty. You'd definitely feel that shame if you fail, won't you? How about it? What do you say?"

"..."

"Is that… Hah, what is that expression, Miss Killer?! Don't like what I said? Or did you not hear what I said? Well, what did I say?"

"You said I should kill myself instead if the plans fail."

"Yes, and will you follow through with it?"

"..."

"Wow, your brain must really not work. I guess that means we did a very good job in handling you, but then again, you _do_ have to have a brain for this mission. Do I have to _tell_ you what the actual answer is?"

"No."

"Good. Now, what is the answer I'm looking for?"

"If the plan is compromised, I will kill myself."

"Excellent. Now, you're all set for the mission, yes? You've got everything you needed."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Alright, then if the plan succeeds, we will see you in… Well, however long you decide to take."

"That won't be a problem, ma'am. Give me two weeks, and I will finish it."

"Haha, as expected from the Ultimate Assassin! What a wonderful tool you are! Heh, so go on. Make this plan a reality… and pave the way to our well-deserved rule."


	2. Ch 1: Logs

_Day 1_

 _Bodyguard training completed._

 _Successfully became a bodyguard._

 _Stationing will differ per day._

 _No signs of the target during training._

 _Day 4_

 _Continued training as a bodyguard._

 _Had a tour of the general vicinity of the area._

 _Nothing of interest, aside from what is seen._

 _Day 5_

 _Worked alongside target._

 _Routine goes as followed: breakfast in the dining hall at 8 AM, general body meeting with administration in conference room following at 9 AM, lunch in her office 12 PM, meeting with an advisor in her office 2 PM._

 _Found her alone in her office at 3 PM. A possible target time. Stayed alone until 5 PM._

 _5 PM dinner with her committee members._

 _End job hour._

 _Day 6_

 _Routine seems to be consistent as before._

 _Differences in schedule only found in between meal times._

 _Found alone at 1 PM instead in her office. Stayed alone until 5 PM._

 _End job hour._

 _Day 7_

 _Routine seems to be consistent._

 _Mealtimes same._

 _Found alone at 1 PM again in her office. Meeting with advisor at 3 PM. Dinner at 5 PM_

 _End job hour._

 _Day 8_

 _Routine consistent._

 _Found alone at 1 PM in office._

 _End job hour._

 _Day 11_

 _Routine consistent again._

 _Found alone at 2 PM in office._

 _Noted: alone time usually starts between 1- 2 PM and always in her office._

 _Better station self for a kill at around 1:30 PM to be safe._

 _Day 12_

 _Need to find a place to station self._

 _No vents found in the office._

 _No closet to hide in._

 _Might have to rethink plan._

…

 _Bookshelf found slanted in stance._

 _Found a hidden door._

 _Door seems to go into passageway._

 _Passageway leads to right outside._

 _Path set for kill tomorrow._


	3. Ch 2: Assassination

She had shown up already in her uniform, looking as calm as her cold stares would allow. Her hair was tied up in her usual low pigtails, and the outfit she wore was something she had grown used to in the past two weeks of working here; the uniform being similar to a police officer with the long dark pants, short sleeved dress shirt, tie, and bulletproof vest. Despite its business looking attire, it was made flexible enough for her to move in, just in case any danger should come to whom she was protecting.

But she knew that the danger the people had predicted would not pose as little of a threat than they had believed. She had to believe that despite their thoughts and preparation, that will not be enough against her. Who would have imagined their very own as a threat?

She finds herself staring at the building in front of her — a place that had grown mundane to her, but it won't be mundane for long. After all, she was only working her for a short while to carry out that mission. Otherwise, the title and talent of the Ultimate Assassin would have been wasted if she did not accomplish the mission provided by her superiors. That was the purpose of Maki Harukawa. The _value_ of Maki Harukawa.

Maki lets out a sigh into the cold autumn air. She glances one more time at the building, thinking of its quiet, peaceful stance in the green scenery, before walking into the entrance, imagining the events to come when she enters the building that day.

While the building is elaborate in its design — many of the beige halls decorated too similarly to one another — Maki had learned about the little tricks of determining where one was in relation to rooms of the building; little things like the placement of picture frames and the photos that each frame held were major clues to helping her find where she was going. For example, the picture of the former prime minister that had given up his seat is what helped Maki know that she had to take a right into the narrow hallway and take the first door to the right to find to the room where she must clock into work. It would have been easier to just skip work and immediately go through with the plan, but should they begin suspecting who did it, it would be much easier to pass on the blame when they cannot determine which of the people working that day had done it. She had to save her own skin first.

Clocking in is a simple process; each of the bodyguards simply had to grab their badge at a desk in the room that would give them the access to several restricted areas. There was always a person at the desk covered in badges to note who took what. The room itself was similar to an office: a computer, printer, some scattered pens and pencils around, and unknown files of paper that only seem to be there to make it _seem_ like the product of efficient work but had no real purpose.

Unfortunately, she wasn't very fond of the individual. Too annoying in the morning. And rambunctiously loud. It was the worst part of this whole job, in Maki's opinion.

"Hey, good morning, Maki-chan!" The person shouts as Maki grabs hold of her badge before wearing it around her neck. And so it starts.

"Ah, quiet again, hm? That's fair." The person nods, as they turned in their black chair to the computer sitting on the desk. "Still not getting used to the place?"

"I'm holding up fine," Maki promptly states.

"Ooph, cold aren't you?" The person adjusts their glasses to sit further up on the bridge of their nose. "Wow, you're really perfect for a bodyguard. Got the intimidating look down and everything!"

"Can you just hand me my schedule already?" Maki coldly asks.

"A-Ah, right. Not here for conversation, just for work. Got it," The person types on their keyboard before clicking. Soon, a slow buzzing sound starts from the printer. The person grabs the schedule and looks at it, again adjusting their glasses. "So, it looks like I have you working on patrol duty on the first floor."

The person hands the schedule over, and Maki stares at the schedule. It was perfect. So far, so good. Either way, she would not have mind working anything else, but this job would make it much easier to handle.

"Will someone else be working with me?" Maki looks up from the paper.

"Of course! We can't have you working on your own throughout the _entire_ floor, you know." The person chuckles at Maki, but Maki's only response is her sharp red eyes glaring intensely at the other. "A-Ah right, um…" The person hastily searches on her computer through the many schedules of the workers for the day. "Well, the only other guard is a newbie, so go easy on them, okay, Maki-chan?"

Without a word, Maki simply turns her back toward the person and heads out through the door again. Everything seems to be going her way. Soon, her plan will be executed with perfection, and this mission will be over and done with. Just a couple more hours to go.

She constantly looks at the time on her watch, just so she would know when to leave. She did not run into the other person that was working on the same floor yet — perhaps because the floor is far too large to coincidentally bump into them. Whatever the case, she can only trust that they would still be here until the end. She could only determine that from her own first day there; it seemed like a phenomena where on the first day, the new guard would always skip their lunch out of anxiety. She pegged on that phenomena to be a way to toss the blame to the poor new person.

Meanwhile, she takes advantage of the guards' lunch time to start executing her plan. The usual routine for guards' lunch is to go to the dining room set for the administration, where the prime minister also eats her lunch. However, Maki saves herself the trouble of getting lunch; instead, she makes the excuse to passing guards that she still wants to work, but none of them catches her exiting out of the building.

Back outside, she walks around the entire building to get to the back, which is much more unkempt than the front. There are several, various plants plotted all over the back; vines that grow on the back of the building, ferns that sprout from the ground, and all kinds of pine trees that are plotted almost randomly in the back. It even seems like there are plants that have sprouted out of the cracks of the building. Little bits of flowers plotted only on one section of vines on the building. Upon closer inspection, Maki notices how the flowers were not growing from the vines; in fact, it seemed as though the few flowers that were on the vines were fake and had been glued to the vines. If she had not known any better, she would not have inferred that this was an indicator to the hidden passageway she had found the previous day.

She places her hands on the vines; the leaves brush against her skin. She takes hold of the vines and gently pulls back on them, revealing a long, dark passageway. Even from standing in front of the entranceway, she can feel the cold air of the hidden pathway. Maki's grasp on the vines grows tighter. The plan is so close to its end. The end is right before her eyes, and the thought of it makes her breathe easier.

Maki takes a step into the dark cold passageway and lets go of the vines. Only a little light peaks through the vines to guide her way through. As she continues down the path, away from the vines, her eyes slowly adjust to the darkness, beginning to see more and more of the path before her — barren and made of a dark steel like the walls. She treads on this path quietly, wary of any sound coming from either ends of the hall and even from herself, making sure she is as silent as she could be, but the floors do not help: even a slight tap on the steel floor would make a noise to give away her position.

But Maki manages on until she finds a flight of spiral staircases. She knows she is close. She begins her walk upward, soft taps of her shoes against the metal steps. She slows her steps to proceed quietly. It had to be done, especially when she is so much closer now. Her determined red eyes only stare onward — upward — to her goal as she proceeds.

And finally it's eye-level to her. It is staring at her face in the form of a door creak, a glimpse of light making its way through to meet her, teasing her to come to the goal as quickly as she could. She would soon enough.

Maki crouches down and pushes the door ever so slightly, enough so that it would not make a sound. Her breath is still in the dark, as she peeps through the small opening. The girl could not see a thing beyond the door, so she tries to open the door a little more; the door never making a sound — a risky move that she takes, but luck has fallen in her favor.

And then she sees it — her — the target. She watches the slight movements of the target. The target walks past the bookshelf where Maki is hiding, and back to her large desk, returning to her seat with a book in hand. The target's long, slender pale fingers brush against the book's pages; eyes narrowed and focused on the words written down. The target's eyes would not dare converge off the page. And she simply sits there, perched on the black chair, wearing the outfit Maki only ever sees the target wearing whenever Maki has worked alongside her. With a suit as stiff on the body as what the target's wearing, the target would be easier to handle for the job. A target that is too focused on something else and makes themselves easy to take down serves as mere proof that her actions will be definite.

The target? The prime minister of the country. Who would have thought her one and only job would be taking down the hardest target in all of the country? The pressure of it all would easily make a person back down, but with her trained skills, there is no doubt that Maki would be able to do it. What good will she be if she didn't?

And she is so close to the end.

With still breath, she remains hidden behind the door. Discreetly, she reveals the small knife she had hidden away under one of her pant legs. Looking back out the door, she recalls her course of action — the way she must go about this for a quick kill. Maki prays her feet won't fail on her — that she can maintain the speed she needed to end this. Her right hand rests on the door as she begins to rise from crouching, ready to pounce on her target. Her eyes are keen on every movement of the target. Her left hand grips the knife tightly. She bites down on her gums, her body feeling a zip of energy, screaming to go now. Now is the time.

She slams the door wide open and begins to run, eyes remaining on her target and _only_ her target. The other hastily gets up, unable to speak up against her predator. Maki is far too quick, running and stepping swiftly past the desk that separated her from her victim. Her victim's eyes are affixed to her as Maki is affixed to her victim. Maki pushes her hand against the prey's mouth harshly. The victim's eyes shoot wide open by the sudden force that pushes her back. With her other hand, Maki aims the knife straight for the jugular. She's thirsting — yearning — for the sight of dark red to plague the pale skin of her prey.

But just as her sharp blade is so close to grazing the pale skin, she found the world turned upside down. Her body feels free, almost like it is floating in air. Perhaps... this feeling she is feeling is elation — her freedom.

 _Thud._

...Or so she had thought.

A large mute pain grows in Maki's head. She tries to get up, but she can't. She tries to take control of her arms, but they're trapped against her back. When she turns back, she could see a figure towering over her, holding her arms and keeping her down. Maki's red eyes grow wide at the shock. The figure that towers over her, knee against her back—

Her target. Steady cerulean green eyes fall on her underneath the silver hair. Maki can hear the other's soft breathing, as though this is nothing to her. The strength of the other's grips against her arm.

What the hell is she doing thinking about these things right now? She just got pinned down by her damn target!

She remains silent and still under her target, staring back at the other. The target simply stares back, eyes as wide as Maki's own, scanning Maki in question and in shock.

There is a long pause between the two, Maki waiting on the other to ask, and she assumes the other was waiting for her to explain as well.

So she starts instead, "How… did you manage to stop me?"

Her target remains silent, continuously staring at Maki, until she closes her eyes and lets out a sigh, "I didn't think that you'd be the one to try and assassinate me, Harukawa-san."

Maki closes her eyes, "You… knew?"

Her target nods, "I heard the secret passageway open behind the bookshelf. I figured someone had actually found it and would try to assassinate me. But, I'm sad to see that it is one of the new recruits, Harukawa-san."

Maki lets out a heavy breath, "You never answered my question. How did you manage to stop me?"

The target lightly chuckles, "I am sure you understand that I am no average prime minister, yes? It comes with my title as an Ultimate."

"I knew _that_ much, but you had bodyguards for a reason, didn't you? It's because you're weak." Maki grumbles.

"Oh, they just underestimate my abilities. I'm a maid, after all."

… What?

"A maid? I thought you were the Ultimate Prime Minister!" Maki stutters.

"You didn't know?" The target tilts her head. "I'm the Ultimate Maid, Kirumi Toujou."

Maki grumbles, "... You must be joking, right, Toujou? And you're joking in this situation? How could a maid be the one controlling the government?"

"It's no joke," Kirumi pushes down on Maki, ignoring Maki's last statement, "And you do remember that I am the one with the upper hand in this situation, yes? And yet, you doubt?"

Maki falls silent.

Forcefully, Maki tries to pull her arms away again, grumbling at Kirumi's harsh grasp, but Maki cannot do it. Damn, the prime minister is really strong.

"... You should not underestimate me, Harukawa-san," Kirumi sighs, keeping the other down.

The towering figure gets off of Maki and pulls her up. Maki struggles in Kirumi's hold.

Maki grunts, "So what the hell are you going to do with me now? Kill me right?"

Kirumi covers her mouth in thought, looking down at Maki. "While that is a possibility, I do not think I would gain anything from doing so. However, I do believe you had a motive of doing this, and I must ask you." The taller female guides the shorter one toward her desk. Opening the drawer of the desk, Kirumi pulls out a pair of handcuffs and swiftly puts it on Maki, so Maki's arms are still stuck behind her back.

"You're not going to get me to talk, you know that, don't you?" Maki coldly states, as Kirumi pushes her toward the room's door.

"Surely, I will. It would just take more time then," Kirumi nods.

Maki does not speak a word. She merely stares at Kirumi, as Kirumi walks her out the door. She keeps staring at the woman, even when Kirumi talks to the security to take Maki to one of the cells in the building. Her gaze never wavers, not until she and the other security guards had walked far enough away that she could not see Kirumi anymore.

And her only thought in all of that was "How the hell did a maid stop the Ultimate Assassin?"


	4. Ch 3: First Conversation

She's been staring long and hard at the grainy stone floor below her, and she was sure as hell that her eyes have turned red from the pain of her palms grinding into her sockets out of sheer frustration and humiliation. This was _not_ what she had expected at all. Like hell would she think she would _actually_ fail at the plan. The target was supposed to be weak. WEAK! That's why there were so many bodyguards after all. But of course not; when everything was going so smoothly, there just _had_ to be one thing to go wrong. And of course it was the major action that had gone wrong, not the little things.

It's been hours since the event; Maki had thought that by now, she'd be back at the base, being set free to finally live a normal life. Instead, she's in the complete opposite situation: rusty metal bars that encased her into a narrow space, unable to move, aside from sitting on the bench, using the toilet in the jail cell, and standing up. She didn't even know of this place in the building, even as someone who previously worked there. She didn't even think that there'd be a purpose of this room in the building, but here she is, trapped in this cell.

She lets out one of many sighs for that day. The situation is getting too grating to her, but there isn't much else for her to do. She could attempt to leave and run back to the Regime, but the words of her leader come back, sounding loudly in her mind:

" _Oh, perhaps you can just deal with the mess yourself and off yourself instead having the rest of us get our hands dirty."_

Shut up.

" _You'd definitely feel that shame if you fail, won't you?"_

Fuck off.

" _How about it? What do you say?"_

The girl grits her teeth and shuts her eyes tightly, but it doesn't stop the words from echoing in every corner of her mind.

As if she'd kill herself. She didn't care what her superior said; she just couldn't do it.

But it'd be easier than sitting here. All of her limbs are aching from anticipation, the old pains burning once more. Her eyes stare down at her arms as if she could see the burning, the old marks taunting her against her pale skin, but she stops herself, again eyes shut tight and propping herself up to sit straight.

From a relative distance, Maki hears the sound of a door opening along with the clicks of shoes against the stone floor. From behind the wall next to the cage door appears her former target, walking in calmly and elegantly, looking just the way as Maki had seen her earlier — alive. The woman turns toward the cage and looks up from her folded hands to Maki. Her pale green eyes focus on Maki, glossing over Maki's posture and facial expression, trying to read the jailed woman to the best of her abilities. Soon after, more bodyguards came in as well, and there are more eyes gazing at Maki, as though _she_ is the target.

Maki narrows her eyes at the group of people that have gathered before her.

It is then that the woman beyond the bars speaks up.

"I wanted to apologize about your circumstances, Harukawa-san," Kirumi starts. Maki's nose scrunches up in confusion at the remark. "There was no other place to put you for safety purposes. I didn't want you to run off."

Maki continues to stare with skepticism at the other woman. She remains alert, watching avidly for the other's little movements, trying to understand what the other wants.

But Kirumi merely looks back at the caged woman. There's a strange look in those green eyes that makes Maki feel uneasy; Kirumi's raised brows, tilted head, and slightly arched lips. It makes her feel all the more pathetic being trapped in the cell.

Kirumi steps back from the cell and turns towards one of the guards. She leans in towards the guard and softly mutters, "Would you mind if I had talked face to face with Harukawa-san?"

Nervously, the guard stutters, "But, Prime Minister, isn't that dangerous?"

Kirumi shakes her head slowly, "She is not an animal. Please keep her handcuffed, but take her out of there so we may talk in a more proper fashion."

"But Prime Minister! She _literally_ tried to assassinate you two hours ago! Why would you want to take her out here?" One guard argues.

Another guard speaks up in defiance, "For your safety, it'd be best to talk to her just as it is. Having her out here, who knows what's going to happen?"

Kirumi nods on, listening to the guards without another response. The guards all drop their shoulders with ease at their prime minister's compliance.

But just before they could exhale a sigh of relief, the prime minister walks over to the door of the prison cell, key in hand, and unlocked the cell.

"Prime Minister Toujo?!" The guards yell as Kirumi opens the door and casually strolls into the cell, closing the door right behind her. Meanwhile, Maki scrambles to pull her legs up onto the bench. There is far too little space in the cell now that Kirumi has entered the cell.

One of the guards grabs hold of the door and shouts, "Prime Minister Toujo, what are you thinking?!"

Kirumi raises a hand to stop the guard, "If Harukawa-san wanted to escape, she would have attempted to as soon as she saw me opening the door. That was not the case."

"She might still hurt you," Another guard's voice wavers.

Kirumi turns back to face the guards beyond the cell, "She would have done so by now, wouldn't you agree?"

The guards fall silent.

Promptly, Kirumi nods at them and turns towards Maki, curled up onto the bench.

"Ah, I apologize about the shortage of space, Harukawa-san," Kirumi bows towards the other.

Maki shakes her head in disbelief. Isn't Kirumi the prime minister? Why is the prime minister bowing to _her_?

"I hope that I will make you more comfortable talking to you this way, rather than through the bars," Kirumi continues.

"Either way, you aren't going to get any answers from me," Maki snarls lowly, but even with the aggressive stares, Kirumi is not phased by the other.

"I know that you wouldn't be very cooperative, but I have a proposal," Kirumi lowers her head, her face hidden away from Maki's sight. Maki's hands begin to grip tightly onto the wooden bench she sat on.

"A proposal? What are you thinking of doing?" Maki asks coldly.

Kirumi looks back to Maki. "As a compromise, I have decided, if you cooperate and answer my questions accordingly, I will let you go. No harm done."

"That's a stupid proposal," Maki retorts quickly.

"I understand why you would think so, Harukawa-san," Kirumi assures, "But, I do not want to cause any harm to you in this matter. It won't do any good."

"That'd only mean you'll be letting me off and I could come back to attack you again," Maki replies.

"I don't believe your words," Kirumi states.

"Excuse me?"

Kirumi gestures towards Maki, "If you decided to discuss your possibilities of attacking again, it's most likely you are not thinking of attacking."

"How would you know?" Maki questions. "I could just be throwing you off, and you wouldn't know."

In silence, the prime minister gathers her thoughts, head turning away from Maki. The longer the silence goes, the more Maki wants to actually get rid of the other's presence.

"Allow me to call it my 'intuition,'" Kirumi's lips curl. Maki continues to narrow her eyes at Kirumi. The smile upon Kirumi's thin, faint pink lips seem to curl a little too much for Maki's liking. A smile that encrypted hidden poisonous motives.

"So you're trusting your intuition that I _won't_ hurt you, huh?" Maki scoffs. "That's so stupid."

"I have no fault in believing in my intuition," Kirumi calmly says. "You haven't made an attempt to escape either, so I could only believe that you wouldn't hurt me."

"Maybe I was waiting for the right time to strike, Toujo." Maki counters.

"But you haven't," Kirumi quickly replies. "You had many times to attack me: the moment I stepped into this jail, while I was talking, or even when I was in thought just a moment ago. Not only that but the jail cell door was left unlocked, so you could have escaped whenever you wanted to, but you haven't made a move."

Maki's red eyes shift down to her own legs, internally scorning herself for her inability to keep up her act. She never paid attention to the way her actions may be giving her away.

Unexpectedly, Kirumi kneels down to look up at Maki. In a quiet voice, Kirumi asks, "So, Harukawa-san, would you please be cooperative and tell us why you attacked? Then, we could let you go. I promise that I will not harm you at all."

Maki turns to Kirumi. Kirumi's gaze does not waver on Maki. Her looks are stern and serious in the matter, brows arched and determined. Kirumi has been asking the entirety of this time for Maki's assistance, continuing to insist that she will not harm Maki, but how truthful are those words? Does she really mean that she won't hurt Maki, or is there something laced away in those kind words?

And why is it that Maki is letting herself fall for those words? Two hours ago, Kirumi was her target — a prey for her to kill, nothing more and nothing less. She would not have cared for those words. So then, why is she bothering to listen to the other? Why _didn't_ she want to try and kill Kirumi at this time if all she wanted was freedom? Did the failure destroy her common sense or make her that vulnerable to even the slightest bit of peace, making her yearn and hold on tightly to any sight of peace in her vision?

"Harukawa-san?" Kirumi calls Maki back to reality: of being back in the cell, of failing her mission, of seeing her supposed target right in front of her.

Bitterly, Maki squints at Kirumi before letting out a tired sigh. She turns herself on the bench towards the wall. She adjusts herself enough so she can lay down and curl up on the bench. In a voice void of spite and vigilance, in a voice full of weary, the assassin mutters, "It's not like I would want to leave anyways."

Kirumi stands up and asks, "What do you mean by that, Harukawa-san?"

But the assassin remains silent in her statement.

"Harukawa-san?" Kirumi asks again. No further responses.

Kirumi sighs, brushing her black pants off, "Then, I shall leave you for now. Rest well, Harukawa-san." With a bow and an excuse, Kirumi opens up the door of the prison cell and exits, locking the cell door afterwards.

The prime minister walks out of the office followed by her bodyguards, all scrambling and bickering with Kirumi about her thoughtless actions, and those were the last sounds that Maki hears as she allows herself to rest.

Meanwhile, the moment Kirumi closes the door to the prison cell room, she turns to the closest guard, while many of the guards continue down the hallway.

In a low voice, Kirumi asks, "Would you mind calling Saihara-san for me? I have a request for him."

"Certainly, ma'am," The guard bows and proceeds to leave to fulfill Kirumi's request.

"Please tell him to meet me in my office," Kirumi reminds the guard. The guard looks back and nods before rushing off once more.

As Kirumi watches the guard hurry away, her attention turns back to the door she had exited. She knew that the extraction of information from the captive would certainly be hard; but with relaxed shoulders, Kirumi knew what she had to do. She was just grateful that trusting her intuition would allow things to proceed the way they did. In the midst of her brief talk with Maki, she caught a glimpse of something good — both in the events to come and from the individual sleeping in the cell. Perhaps the prime minister will finally be able to stop the hellfire occurring beyond the building.


	5. Ch 4: Agreement

_Sniff._

What the hell is that stench?

 _Sniff. Sniff._

Oh, of course it's her. She's still trapped in the small prison cell without a shower for about a day now.

She stifles a chuckle. She would have figured that by now she would be used to living this kind of life. It's not unusual for her, after all.

But Maki does have to wonder what the Ultimate Maid or Prime Minister had in store for her. What _could_ that other woman do anyways if all Maki is going to do is continue to resist?

Still, the prime minister's urgency almost seemed like it worked on her the previous day.

Maki shakes her head in disbelief of her pathetic excuse of resistance yesterday. How could she have been so stupid to let her capturer get passed her guard?

It's only day two, and all she can think of doing is banging her head against the cold brick wall. Perhaps killing herself _would_ have been better.

… No, what is she thinking? Like hell would she do something as stupid as that. But with her running thoughts, she isn't sure _what_ exactly she wants now. She keeps thinking of how she wishes to run and be free, but if she did that, then she would find herself possibly confronting the people she technically betrayed. She _could_ attempt to leave for a different country, but how far can she get before she finds herself broke and on the streets? The only options just seem to be kill herself or remain here in this bland-looking cell, and being trapped for an eternity in the cell does not seem too bad of an idea.

It's just a matter of time until the prime minister enters again in attempts to talk to Maki.

However, she seemed to wait for a rather long time. The silence isn't very good company, neither are the bars of the cell, nor the toilet. So, she decides to gently lay herself down on the bench again. The ache in her back is starting to make her relive old memories that she would rather not return to. Those memories would not serve as a good pastime for her mental state either; not after what it had done to her yesterday, and that memory was just mere verbal conversations.

She wishes the jail cell had a clock. Maybe that will save her sanity instead of doting on old scars. Maki isn't even sure if a day really did pass; for all she knows, she could have just taken a short nap.

Suddenly, there is a loud click followed by a slam. Maki immediately sits up and looks past the bars toward her right. Soon, as she expected by the sound, the woman with dark silver hair enters along with the rest of her guards. Kirumi is still standing tall and poise like usual, even entering in the same manner as the last time, hands folded in front of her before Kirumi turns to Maki. Another routine that Maki just seems to be falling into now.

As Maki begins her glares toward the prime minister, Kirumi turns towards one of her guards and asks for him to unlock the cell door once more. Hesitating, the guard nods slightly and reaches for his keys on his belt, walks over to the cell door, and unlocks it. Once the door opens, Kirumi enters, maintaining her composure.

When she stands before Maki, Kirumi swipes her dangling silver bangs to the side to look at Maki more clearly . "Good afternoon, Harukawa-san."

"Took you long enough to come back." Maki starts, folding her arms over each other. "So what do you want this time, Toujo?"

"My apologies if it took quite some time for me to return to you," Kirumi bows toward the sitting girl. "I was merely waiting for my informant to return to me with some details."

Maki shuffles in her seat, "Details?"

Kirumi nods slowly, "I asked him if it was possible to find information about 'Maki Harukawa.' He did not return to me until this morning. Had he returned yesterday, I would have discussed the matters with you in the morning."

Maki remains silent, adjusting herself on the bench that seemed a lot more uncomfortable now than it did a couple minutes ago.

Regardless, Kirumi continues, "Saihara-san had found information about where you came from. If I remember correctly, he stated that you were, in fact, an orphan, and you hadn't been adopted until a couple of years ago. Can you confirm?"

Maki almost forgot about the orphanage. So many things had happened that it seemed minuscule to the rest of her life. Then again, if it were not for the orphanage, her current circumstances would not have been possible.

The tall female's giggles cut through the silence. Immediately, Maki shoots a look toward Kirumi. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing is funny. I promise you." Kirumi assures.

"Then why'd you laugh?"

"I do believe I'm getting to understand you more, Harukawa-san."

Maki drops her arms to her side, hands against the cold bench, "What… do you mean?"

"It seems that you refuse to lie, so you tend to remain silent. At least, that is what I'm gathering from our encounters." Kirumi covers her mouth in thought. "But am I wrong?"

Again, Maki remains silent, and that makes Kirumi grin with ease; her pale pink lips thin out and curl up just a tad. Those lips make Maki keep her gaze low and remain still, trying not to let those lips swoon her into whatever Kirumi's planning.

"It's alright, Harukawa-san. I understand you would not want to admit defeat, yes?" Kirumi gestures to the red-eyed girl.

"What… else do you know?" Maki mutters.

"Let me see…" The silver-haired female closes her eyes and holds her finger against her chin. "Saihara-san did say that the only other information he can gather about you is the fact that you were a part of a training regiment, and I gather that is where you had trained to become an assassin. Not just any regular assassin: an Ultimate Assassin."

Maki nods without a word, letting Kirumi continue.

"Based on what I have heard, this training regiment acts similar to that of a bootcamp. It is deemed as one of the toughest programs across the country, and I can only imagine why." Kirumi opens her eyes and looks at Maki, eyes lurking with something Maki is not aware of. The other's eyes of a green tea color swirl in its gaze, mesmerizing Maki into confusion, and her stares are just that: a mystery in those green tea colored eyes.

"Choukai," Maki says, avoiding the green eyes once more, "The program I was a part of. It was called 'Choukai'... It was their basic principle of discipline… and punishment. "

"Harukawa-san, you do not have to force yourself to discuss your time at the camp." Kirumi advises. "I can understand that remembering such a program would only hurt you if you return to those memories."

Maki finds herself more confused at the other's words but shakes her head. "I wouldn't care less, honestly. They've already happened, so there's not much else that you can do about it."

Kirumi nods toward the other. "That is true, but Harukawa-san, I can assure you that we do not mean any harm to you. I refused to cause you pain yesterday just as I refuse to do so today. Whatever they had enforced on you, we will not allow it to happen again."

"I wonder about that," Maki lowers her eyes. The memories leave the taste of bittersweetness in her mouth. "You can easily say that, but… if you do let me out, you can't protect me."

Even leaving this building, it would be hard for Maki to continue, especially when she made that vow before the mission. She could only imagine herself getting entangled into more of a mess and then more pain would follow along.

Then her arm jolts to the touch of warmth against her skin. Immediately, she retracts her arms and looks at the source of the contact, eyes darting straight to a pale hand that too retracts away from Maki, elbow bent and fingers curled. That is when Maki's eyes lock onto the prime minister's, finding that Kirumi had kneeled down before her once more. Kirumi's own eyes are wide open as her lips are ajared.

Kirumi further pulls her hand away, letting it rest easily on her lap before lowering her head, "... My apologies, Harukawa-san. I didn't mean to alarm you. How foolish of me."

Maki's gaze traces down her own arms, to her fist, then down to Kirumi's hands. She can see that Kirumi's long, slender fingers are sharp, like claws. There is a hint of scheming with those fingers, as they curl up on Kirumi's laps, and it only makes Maki's brows arch in suspicion of the other.

"Just," Maki shakes her head, "What is it that you want, Toujo?"

Kirumi looks back up at Maki for a second before lowering her head again, eyes scanning the floor, as though the words she is searching for are scattered there.

"I understand that it will be hard for you, but if you would please offer your help, many would greatly appreciate it. No other person will have to go through what you went through." Kirumi entreats. "And… I regret having lost so many people already."

Maki perks up, "Lost?"

Kirumi nods, "I am sure that you have heard of the uprising recently. Many of our citizens have been targeting others such as you or myself, and we have lost many of the talented in the riots. I wouldn't want more harm to come to others because of that."

Maki pulls her legs up onto the bench, "It… really has been rough, hasn't it?"

Again, Kirumi nods, "I cannot assure everyone's safety, so I must determine the cause of this riot in the first place and confront it to the best of my abilities to put an end to it."

Offering a hand towards Maki, Kirumi asks once more, "So, would you please consider helping the cause?"

Maki's glowing red eyes stare down at the reaching hand. The fingers she had thought looked like claws now look so gentle by their curls — the fingertips looking soft and supportive.

Maki only closes her eyes and responds with a sigh, "You wouldn't stop asking, no matter how much I say no."

Kirumi slowly pulls her hand away, but the opening of Maki's eyes makes the other freeze in place.

Maki replies, "But you better know what this means for you."

Kirumi questions, "For me?"

"You better be careful for whatever may come from this," Maki warns, but with the stern looks Kirumi is giving, Maki knows full well that Kirumi is prepared. What did she expect from the other?

It is then that Maki grabs hold of Kirumi's upheld hand; the other's hand feels firm to hold — determined — and yet feels tender — a supportive soul.

Kirumi stands up from her kneeling position, still holding onto Maki's hand, "I will be careful, but until any danger should come to me, I look forward to working with you, Harukawa-san." Kirumi bows, forehead brushing against the held hands.

When she straightens herself up, letting go of Maki's hand, Kirumi asks, "Because you have decided to help, I would like to move you to a better place than this…. And I apologize for keeping you here for so long."

Maki looks at Kirumi from the corner of her eye, "You're going to trust me that easily? We've only just _started_ cooperating… And I _did_ just try to assassinate you."

When Maki turns her head to Kirumi, she freezes from the sight of Kirumi's cold stares, but immediately, Kirumi blinks and tilts her head, with a small smile, "I have told you before, didn't I? That I do not believe you would hurt me?"

Maki shrugs with a lopsided grin, "I guess you got me there."

Kirumi chuckles, "Shall we go?"

With a nod of the head, Maki stands up to follow Kirumi out of the jail cell, the guards opening the door for the two women. A step out of the jail and suddenly Maki feels a lot more at ease, as if she had been holding her breath the entire time of being in the jail cell.

But she can feel the air grow cold the moment her eyes set on the guards she passes. Each one of them holds the same expression, eyebrows narrowed and unfriendly frowns. Their eyes follow Maki with a sense of hostility, and Maki does not blame them. Yet, they continue to stare at her in the same way when they follow Maki and Kirumi out of the room and into the hallway. When she looks back or to her sides at the guards, immediately their eyes shift, pretending that they have not been sketchily scrutinizing Maki. While Maki does understand why they do so, she could not find herself at ease any longer, arms swinging very slightly and feet taking smaller steps forward. She's stiff in her movements as those eyes attempt to freeze her in place.

"Do not fret, Harukawa-san," Kirumi speaks up without turning her head. "The guards have been questioning my decisions as well and have been giving me the same looks."

Maki nods, looking back at the guards from side to side before looking straight ahead to follow Kirumi.

After a long (what almost seemed like an endless) hallway, Kirumi makes a turn into another hallway and pauses in front of a door to the left. Maki turns around to check the hallway decor, trying to find her bearings, but she isn't sure if she has traveled down this path. If she had, then it must have been in the beginning of her days as a bodyguard.

Maki takes a step back, away from the door, "Where are you taking me?"

Kirumi's reply comes in her resting her hand against the shiny and smooth doorknob, turning the knob and giving the door a push inward.

And Maki's eyes shoot wide open.

Beyond the open door in the center of the room is a bed that seemed overstuffed with cotton or feathers, with the side of the mattress protruding further out from the base; Maki could only imagine feels like laying on a giant pillow. There are many blankets with varying shades of gray that are neatly folded on top of the bed. The windows on either side of the bed have light peaking through the blinds and onto the ground. Shelves of ivory border the walls of the room, alongside complementary cabinets,table, and a wardrobe. Maki sees another door to her right, which seems to be the entranceway to her own bathroom, fully equipped with both a shower and a bathtub. Maki couldn't see any dust in the room either, despite it not looking like it has ever been occupied.

Kirumi leads Maki into the room, with Maki having a look of distraught clear on her face.

While her eyes continue to survey the room, Maki queries with a single word in disbelief, "Why?"

Kirumi only smiles at the other, "Should I emphasize more that I do not believe that you are a threat to me? You also are working alongside me now, so I would like to provide you with better living conditions than that of the cell."

Maki shakes her head fervently, "This is too much." She looks back to the nicely colored shelves, the windows, the wardrobe, to the bathroom door, and to the large, comfortable-looking bed.

Kirumi holds a hand up, "Nonsense. You agreed to work with me, so this is quite fitting for you. If you need anything else, please feel free to ask."

Maki continues to shake her head, "Do I have to tell you again that I _did_ just try to assassinate you earlier? And… you're saying you want to give your murderer something this nice?"

Kirumi closes her eyes and her smile turns into a frown, lips thinning, "I have no other choice but to give you this room, Harukawa-san. You have taken my request to help, and I must serve you in return by granting you this room. Please enjoy the room."

Maki is affixed in her place. She supposes, based on Kirumi's cold tone, that Maki would not have any other choice; that and she could not have thought where else Kirumi would have her stay (aside from the prison cell again, but she was starting to stink).

The assassin purses her lips at Kirumi and gives a slight nod of the head, "Fine. I will."

Immediately, Kirumi's stone-hard looks soften into a smile, "I am glad to hear that. Now, Harukawa-san, it is lunchtime, so after you freshen up, I shall be back to escort you to the dining hall." Then, Kirumi bows and stands up straight, smiling again at Maki with relief and assurance. The dark gray haired female nods toward Maki, her dark green eyes remaining on Maki until she turns and takes her leave, her guards following close behind.

Maki walks to the door to close it slowly. After locking it, she turns around to look back at the room she was given — to all the nice looking decor that she are alien to her. Shaking her head in disbelief, she takes it all in. Her gaze glosses over every bit of detail in the room, all welcoming her to her circumstances.

So this is her life now; however different it is to what she's used to. It will certainly take time for Maki's uneasiness to settle and fade, but there's something about the way Kirumi smiled at her that makes her uneasy feeling disappear quicker than Maki had expected. But she would not be able to predict what lies in store for her in this new situation; so for the time being, she must lay her trust on that smile — even if it may be plotting something beyond Maki's perception.


	6. Ch 5: Working Together

A jolt of her body awakens her in a state of panic. Her breathing is shallow, as she cranes her neck around to see the time, only for her eyes to recognize the place around her as a place still new to her. Then, her body feels at ease. She isn't late.

Adjusting back to her surroundings, Maki has never felt so at ease laying on a bed. She could have sworn that as soon as her senses awoke in the morning, surrounded by the soft presence, that perhaps Maki really did die, and this is the afterlife. She would certainly believe it to be so.

Grunting, she sits up and takes note of the white ivory cabinets and drawers in the room. Another thing she definitely needs to get used to seeing. With such bright white coloring, it certainly seems like she is living up in some cloud kingdom, and she was just granted with the highest of rankings by the queen.

…Wait, what is she thinking? That was the stupidest idea she thought about. Maybe that's the result of just waking up. Her mind is still trying to process everything around her and trying to remember how she winded up here, but her idiotic thoughts of a cloud kingdom and a queen that allowed her such a lovely place is not too far off from the truth.

As she runs a hand through her entangled dark brown hair, Maki looks over to the door of the room. Beyond that door, she imagines that the "queen" of her dumb cloud kingdom is on her way over to Maki's room now that Maki has agreed to her terms of answering questions. She may as well get up and get ready (and definitely wake up).

The tired assassin pushes herself out of the entrancing embrace of the bed, forcing herself to trudge over to her private bathroom. Immediately her bright red eyes go from a squint to a surprised glance, looking over to the sink area and the shower, both of which are absurdly clean.

She shouldn't be surprised though; she used the bathroom yesterday (she could still see some of her hair clogging the drain). And yet, it's another thing Maki needs to get used to seeing. She didn't mind it at all, really; even the fact she needs to clean it herself is no trouble for the assassin. It is just odd for her to have a "private" anything.

Regardless, she gets herself ready, showering and brushing her teeth. It doesn't take her that long to finish up, but her disorientation leads her to struggle to find where exactly things are or how they worked. She winds up wearing the same light pink pajamas as she had worn for the night, knowing that there aren't any clothes for her in either of the wardrobes or drawers.

After she combs through her long hair thoroughly and letting it fall on her shoulders or down her back, Maki exits out of the bathroom only to be welcomed by the sight of a tall female, decked out in a white, gray, and black lace-lined dress that was fitting for a maid, standing by Maki's bed with a rolling cart filled with different platters full of varying breakfast foods. The gray haired woman has a smile on her face as she pours liquid from a kettle to a cup from a fair height. Maki can hear that through those sealed lips, Kirumi is humming a quiet tune to herself while placing more plates on top of the small table by the bed.

As Maki walks closer to the other, Kirumi turns to the befuddled Maki with the same smile she has already been holding, putting down the last of the plates on the desk. "Ah, Harukawa-san, good morning. Pardon my intrusion."

"You're fine, but…" Maki points at the covered table, "What is this?"

"It's a simple breakfast. I was unsure of what you prefer, so I have brought a variety of meals." Kirumi places her hand on the desk covered in plates, "Here I have brought an eggs benedict, pancakes with whatever syrup you would like, blueberry, maple, or strawberry, and crisp bacon and avocado toasts. If you would prefer something simpler, I have also brought along some oolong tea with biscuits or plain oatmeal with brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. Please enjoy your meal."

Slowly, Maki walks over to the bed and takes a seat. She inches herself over toward the table and stares in awe; the food all seems to gleam in pride of its splendor.

"What's the matter, Harukawa-san?" Kirumi asks. "Is the food not to your liking?"

Maki keeps staring blankly over each of the food present before her instead of replying to the woman.

"Ah, I see," Kirumi folds her hands together, "I had forgotten to provide you with utensils." She rotates herself over to the cart and grabs a napkin neatly folded around a set of eating utensils. Turning back to Maki, Kirumi uses her free hand to push some plates slightly over for space to place the set down. "Now, please enjoy."

But still, that doesn't make Maki move and gobble up the food. She only remains still like an object.

The standing woman uses a couple of fingers to brush her long curled bangs to the side to observe the still figure more closely. "Is the food really not to your liking, Harukawa-san? I would not mind cooking something else of your taste."

Quickly, Maki blurts out. "No, it's not that."

"Oh?" Kirumi blinks in confusion before quieting herself. Gathering her words, she suggests, "Ah, my apologies, you aren't used to these living conditions. This must be quite a lot."

Maki nods, "But why would you make so much?"

"As I have stated, I wasn't sure what you prefer, so I provided you with choices. Do not feel like you have to eat every meal." Kirumi bows again.

Maki rolls her eyes, "Why do you have to bow to me? You're the prime minister."

Kirumi perks her head up and averts her gaze for a second, "It is my duty as a maid, you know. I only wish to provide the best service for all."

"But you don't serve me," Maki shakes her head fervently.

"You _are_ a guest here, so it's only common manners to give my guest the best hospitality." Kirumi straightens herself up and nods. "Now please, eat, Harukawa-san."

Sighing, Maki takes the set and unfolds the napkin around the utensils. After taking the spoon, she pulls the bowl of oatmeal closer to her and begins to eat, lifting bits of the oatmeal with the spoon and putting it in her mouth. Immediately, she begins to feel warm from the consumption of the oatmeal. The oatmeal's cinnamon spice dances upon the palette of her tongue, as the brown sugar and raisins provide a sweet serenity. She feels at ease as she eats.

Kirumi smiles down at Maki, watching as the other gradually empties out her bowl. In the midst of eating, Maki notices the other's looks.

She pulls the spoon away from her mouth, "What are you smiling about?"

The other pulls her attention away and shakes her head, "My apologies. I couldn't help but smile when you were smiling."

Immediately, Maki looks down to her half-emptied bowl, flustered from her unknowingly smiling as she ate. The standing woman chuckles, "Oh, don't worry. A smile better suits you instead of the scornful glances you tend to have. It was just odd for me to see is all."

Maki raises her brows but she proceeds to continue eating the oatmeal quietly, trying to keep her head low to hide her slightly sanguine face.

"How did you sleep last night?" Kirumi asks suddenly.

"Much better than the jail cell. Thank you," The tired assassin takes a sip from the cup of tea by the biscuits.

"And the room. Is the room to your liking?"

"I could definitely tell that you designed it." Maki eyes the other's gray and black dress that complemented the gray walls of the room.

Taken aback, Kirumi places a hand on her chest. Speaking lowly, she asks in concern, "Is that alright? I wasn't able to prepare the room to your liking beforehand, but I can do that as soon as possible."

The sitting girl shakes her head, "No, it's fine. It's actually really nice."

Kirumi sighs in relief, "I'm glad then."

"But don't tell me you came here for small talk," Maki puts down her cup of tea.

"I just thought it would be nice to know who my guest is. That's all." The maid answers.

"Fair enough," Maki crosses her arms, "But you did want to know more about why I tried to kill you, right?"

Kirumi nods but holds a finger to her lower lip, "That is true, but I would prefer if you ate first before we talked."

"I'm almost done, so I don't mind talking." Maki grabs the bowl of oatmeal again and proceeds to finish it up. "So what do you want to know?"

"Perhaps we can start with what you did in the duration of your time at Choukai." Kirumi proposes, as she takes out a miniature notebook and pen from her breast pocket, flipping the book open.

"… You want to go straight to that information, huh?" Maki puts down her bowl again, little bits of oatmeal still lingering on the bowl.

"Was that too forward?" Kirumi asks. "I have other questions that we can go through first."

The assassin shakes her head, "It's fine. Let's just get that question over and done with so you don't have to ask anymore." She grabs for her tea again and sips it before letting out a deep breath. "I was adopted around four years ago by one of the leading officers in Choukai and immediately was forced to be a part of a subunit within the camp. All I ever did in that time was train. They would make us train early in the day and late into the night. The only times we took a break was for food or to sleep for the night. My body would get so weak from the regiment, but I had to keep training myself according to their laws. If I didn't...they'd…" She lowers her head. Maki's warm fingers touch her arm gently, unable to continue her sentence.

Another deep breath escapes Maki's lips as she finds new words to articulate, "But I went through with it. Went through the harsh training. Four years after, I became the best of the assassins in the subunit and became the Ultimate Assassin."

Kirumi nods, taking notes of the other's speech. After some silence, Kirumi leaves the pen within the pages of the notebook then places a hand on Maki's shoulder, "I apologize if it was hard for you to discuss, but all of this will certainly help me. I assure you."

Maki pushes Kirumi's hand off her shoulder, "Yeah. I figure with your powers, you would be able to. But, is there anything else you wanted to ask?"

"May I ask more about this subunit that you were a part of?" Kirumi asks.

Maki nods, "The commanding officer wasn't much for speaking, but I knew that she was trying to teach all of us the ways of an assassin, and supposedly the subunit was hidden, so you won't really know who was in the subunit, nor the commanding officer in charge."

Kirumi nods, continuing to write, "I see, but _you_ know the name of the commanding officer, yes?"

Maki looks down, fingers rubbing against the cup of tea. "She didn't wear a badge or anything that said her name. Just her title. So we just called her 'Commander.'"

"I see." Kirumi repeats. "Thank you."

"It might not help, seeing as she looked like anyone else in the army, but maybe telling you her description could help."

"Please do."

"She constantly wore the uniform hat every time she came into practice, but she had a giant scar across her nose. Dark brown hair, darker than mine and it was usually tied up. Pale blue eyes. I think she had a scar on her cheek as well. She was around her 30s, give or take. She's probably around your height, too." Maki recalls. "Does that help?"

"Of course it does," Kirumi holds the pen in place on the paper.

"Did you want to ask more questions, Toujo?" Maki purses her lips _ **.**_

"Ah, yes," Kirumi holds the pen away from the paper as she looks up to Maki, "Was it your commanding officer that issued the order for my assassination?"

"Yes. After those four years, I was taken out of Choukai to work under the Regime _ **.**_ "

"Regime?" Kirumi beckons.

Maki nods, "I'm… not entirely sure what they were planning, but I know they just hated the Ultimates and then they gave me the order to kill you through the Commander. If I didn't kill you, I was to be executed."

"So, the Regime was not any better in treatment towards you…" Kirumi mutters in a low tone. Her face is stern, almost puzzled by Maki's past treatment.

"I didn't expect it would get any better, honestly." Maki shrugs. "Anyways, I figured that the Commander just wanted to get rid of you to take over the government. That's why she ordered your assassination."

"I see…" Kirumi stops writing and closes the notebook with one hand before placing both the notebook and pen back in her breast pocket.

"Is that all you wanted to talk about?" Maki raises a brow at Kirumi's actions.

"Judging from your wording, it sounds like you don't know the actual reason behind their actions."

Maki pouts but nods her head, "Yeah. They limited their plans from me since I was only supposed to carry out the assassination. They wouldn't have any purpose of explaining the rest to me."

Kirumi merely nods before beginning to put the plates on Maki's desk away and onto the cart. Soon, Maki begins to follow, placing the cup of tea that had turned cold and the emptied bowl of oatmeal on the cart. In silence, the two clean, but Maki keeps her eyes on Kirumi, the other focusing merely on cleaning. She sees the pursed light pink lips and narrowed eyes that make Kirumi seem disappointed.

In attempts to break the silence, Maki gathers her words and speaks up, "Can I ask you a question, Toujo?"

Kirumi stops in place before putting down the plates she had been holding, "Go ahead."

"You're the Ultimate Maid, right?"

"That is correct."

"Alright. And how did you manage to stop me then?"

"Oh," Kirumi smiles with ease, "As a maid, I had to serve various kinds of roles. A bodyguard was one of those roles, and I had to be the best at my roles. Otherwise, how else can I consider myself the Ultimate Maid?"

"I see," Maki gives a small lopsided grin, placing the last plates on the cart. "Then you're actually really strong then."

"So it seems." Kirumi glances over at Maki and keeping up the grin she held on her face.

"But I think I can see why you became the prime minister now."

"Oh? Why's that?" Kirumi ponders.

"You just have a sense of duty, and because you're a maid, it just seems right that you would want to work so hard to care for your citizens."

"I'm only doing what any other prime minister would do for the sake of their people," Kirumi says.

"But the former prime minister withdrew from his position instead of solving the issue." Maki retorts. "I doubt it was every leader's belief."

"He was concerned that he was far too weak to handle the situation. That is why he handed the situation to me. He believed that I would be able to fix the situation due to my title."

"Which makes sense," Maki crosses her arms. "But sorry that I couldn't say much else."

Kirumi sets her hand on Maki's shoulder again, "It is quite all right. You've provided a copious amounts of information as it is, and to the best of your abilities, no less. I'm very grateful for that."

Maki's eyes soften, eyes slightly narrowing as she gives a lopsided grin, "That's good."

Kirumi pulls her hand away from Maki's shoulder and takes a table napkin from her front bottom pocket of her dress and wipes the table carefully of the residues that the foods may have left. Afterwards, she turns to the cart of remaining food and empty dishes, grabbing onto the handle and begins to push it.

"Thank you for cooperating again, Harukawa-san," Kirumi bows her head, "I must attend to other matters, and after that, perhaps we can get to know more about each other, yes?"

"Sure, that'd be… nice," Maki admits before bowing her own head.

With that, Kirumi offers another smile toward Maki, "Then, I will return in a short while. Have a good day, Harukawa-san." And then she pushes the cart out of the door.

Maki keeps her eyes on the maid until Kirumi turns and walks behind the walls of the room down the hallway. Even then, she finds herself staring at the doors longer than expected.

…What is she doing? Maki shakes her head and turns back to her bed. She's just going to have to do something else while waiting for Kirumi.

… Is she actually looking forward to this? How dumb of her, she scolds herself, proceeding to shake her head again at her thoughts. This could easily be another tactic Kirumi is using to make Maki reveal more. Perhaps Kirumi actually believes Maki has more information than she lets on. Then again, Maki did say that's all she knows.

Trying to figure out Kirumi's motive now only makes Maki's head spin. All that there's left to do is simply wait and see.

There is a knock on the hollow wooden door. It starts weakly and pauses, before starting again, only somewhat louder than before.

In her office seat, Kirumi calls out, "Please, come in."

The knob turns and the door pushes inward slightly. A man steps out past the door, dressed in a simple looking suit; a black blazer to cover the pure white dress shirt and black necktie that complement his black cotton pants. His hair almost matches the color of his suit had it not been a very slight dark blue. His eyes are colored in a perfect mix of green, yellow, and brown; a sense of observation and mystery hidden behind them. The Ultimate Detective: Shuuichi Saihara.

In a light tone, the male asks, "Toujo-san? Did you call for me?"

"Yes, Saihara-san. Thank you for coming in again." Kirumi points her hand toward the chair in front of her desk for Shuuichi to take a seat.

He steps away from the door, letting the door click behind him as he walks forward to the desk and sits down. His hands are balled into fists as they sit on his lap. "Was the info I gathered the other day not good?"

"On the contrary." Kirumi taps her desk with her pen. "It was actually rather helpful."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Shuuichi smiles slightly, "Ah, I'm glad then."

"Did you come in here thinking that I was angry at you?" Kirumi covers her mouth to chuckle. "I could see that you're even sweating there." She gestures with her head to his forehead.

Rubbing his forehead awkwardly, he chuckles along, "Yeah, sorry. I just wasn't sure what other reason you would have for calling me in."

"It's for another task. It might take a lot of time, though." Kirumi warns, placing her hand on the small notebook on her desk. "Will that be all right, Saihara-san?"

Shuuichi nods, "Of course. It's just a part of a detective's job."

Kirumi nods along with Shuuichi before sliding the notebook over to the detective, "I asked Harukawa-san about the Regime, and she had told me more about them. Everything that she discussed has been written down in this notebook. If you can, I would like to ask you to determine what the Regime is planning and their purpose."

Shuuichi takes the notebook and opens it to review the notes. Nodding he looks back up to Kirumi, "Alright, I can do that."

"Just be sure that you don't get harmed along the way, you understand?" Kirumi reminds the male, "I would not like to lose someone I trust in the midst of the chaos."

"Right, but don't worry. I've been through these kinds of jobs, so it won't be _too_ hard, I think." Shuuichi assures halfheartedly. "But I'll try to get back as soon as I can with anything I find."

Kirumi nods, "Thank you, Saihara-san. I will be forever grateful for your work."

The male stands up from his seat and takes a step back toward the door, "Alright, I'll get to it then! I'll get back to you, Toujo-san." Hastily, the boy hurries toward the door, slightly stumbling on his feet before he finally exits out the door.

Kirumi sighs and releases the pen from her grasp; the sigh is as free as fresh air.

Ah, that's what it is. The air that she exhales; it is that of her letting go of her worries. Of her feeling firm in her belief that her plan to solve this situation is finally coming into action, and from there, things will run smoothly.

But there is also another feeling that has mildly burned deep in her chest, as she thinks of how this plan started to work. Placing a hand on her chest, Kirumi wonders what could it be… or rather, she would choose to pretend she does not know. She's been feeling this sense of burning for the past couple days, but she has yet to determine why that is. Shaking her head, she believes it to be a mere heartburn or perhaps glee for the plan. No, it must be a heartburn, so the woman decides to excuse herself from her office to find something to mend the burning. Afterwards, she will go talk to her special guest once more for the sake of hospitality.

Oh, there's the burning again in her chest. She should tend to it as soon as possible.


	7. Ch 6: Free Day

After spending a day in the government building with Kirumi, getting asked many different questions about her, Maki finds herself rather worn out, as though she has exhausted every breath she had in her. She even wakes up tired, not in a state of panic as the other day, even after a full eight hours of sleep, with her hair in a complete mess and some embarrassing drool coming out of her mouth. Perhaps it is a sign that she really _is_ adjusting to this life relatively quickly.

As she gets herself out of bed, Maki wipes the drool from her mouth with her arm. Swinging her legs off the bed, she pushes herself up from the bed to get ready again; her bathroom is getting more familiar to her, and she isn't stumbling to find everything as before. She's even amused at her capability to adapt within a span of two days.

Ah, that's right. It has only been two days, which only confused Maki more. Contrasting her time spent in Choukai versus the time spent here, Maki was quicker to adapt to living in this building, and she isn't sure if that is a good thing. She knows that it's only meant to be a short job, giving as much information as she can before being let go of.

What is there for her to do when she's free though? Most likely, she still has to go into hiding, and that seems burdensome to the scrutinizing eyes of Maki.

Whatever the case, she'll just deal with it when the time draws near.

Maki finishes getting ready and leaves her room. She didn't want Kirumi to go through the trouble of wheeling the cart from however far the kitchen is; neither does she actually like Kirumi going through all that trouble. So, she decides to head to the dining hall before Kirumi can reach her room.

… But she should have woken up sooner. Immediately after exiting out of her room and turning away from the door, there stands Kirumi wheeling the same cart as before with less meals covering the surface.

Shortly after, Kirumi's gloved hands releases the cart and stands to the side to take a bow toward Maki. "My apologies. Did I come too late, Harukawa-san?"

"You didn't come late to anything, Toujo. You're fine." Maki bows her head in return. "I was actually going to head to the dining hall, so you didn't have to come all the way here."

"Do not fret. It's no trouble at all. I actually quite enjoy strolling along and treating you in your room." Kirumi stands up and grabs hold of the cart once more.

Immediately, Maki turns her head away and rubs a hand down her face. "Well, since you're already here, I may as well eat in my room, right?"

Kirumi nods.

"And did you eat?"

"Pardon?"

Maki squints, "Did you eat, Toujo?"

"Oh, forgive me. Did you want to eat with me, Harukawa-san? I had only brought enough food for you," The maid frowns at herself.

Eyeing the plates on the cart, Maki remarks, "It's not like I'm going to eat every single one of these."

"That is true." Kirumi's finger rubs against the metal cart handle. "Then I shall eat alongside you."

Maki nods and walks back to her door, opening it to allow Kirumi to push the cart in. The assassin follows after and sits herself on the bed.

Just as before, Kirumi unveils and lists the plates of food she brings — all of which are vaguely similar as yesterday's meals, if not less than yesterday. Despite the varying choices, Maki is quick to take the oatmeal and tea again, but this time, she takes one of the hardboiled eggs to eat, as well.

As Maki begins to eat, she looks up to Kirumi who continuously stands before her without movement.

"… Do you mind not standing like that? It's creepy."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Harukawa-san."

"Also I told you that I wanted to eat with you, right?"

"How could I have forgotten so easily?" Kirumi shakes her head. Slowly, she takes her pick of plates and takes out some utensils for herself and begins to eat, too, still standing.

"Toujo, you know you can sit on my bed, right?" Maki pinches the bridge of her nose.

"If you give me your permission to do so, then I shall," Kirumi walks by Maki and takes a seat next to her.

Then the two eat in silence; the only thing that stopped the scene from going completely silent is the clinking of their fork and spoon against their plates and bowls as they get their food. It's almost making it hard for Maki to swallow.

The dark brown-haired girl puts her spoon down in her bowl, "What's the matter, Toujo?"

The gray-haired girl looks back at the brown-haired girl in concern, "Whatever do you mean?"

"Aren't you going to ask me questions?"

"Oh, yes," Kirumi averts her gaze, "I currently have my detective working to find more information from what you have already presented. I do not have any questions in mind as of now."

"So then, why are you sticking around?" Maki scrutinizes the other.

"You did ask me to eat with you."

"...Right."

"But, aside from that, I have created a schedule for you today."

"What?" Maki scowls, "A schedule?"

"From what I've gathered yesterday from you, I thought that it would be best to travel around the town with you, if you'd like." Kirumi suggests.

"A-Around town?" Maki continues to scowl, even more suspicious of the plan, "Did you already forget? The Regime might see and kill me on the spot. And why would you want to take me around town? I'm fine just staying here."

"Don't worry. I thought about that, and I suggest wearing disguises to ward off any possible members in the area." Kirumi replies briefly. "And, I thought it would be nice to treat you regardless. It's another one of my duties as a maid."

Maki opens her mouth to retort, but Kirumi mumbles into her gloved hand, "And perhaps it is a selfish request of mine, but I would like to spend time with you outside of questioning."

"…You what?" Maki's voice cracks in disbelief, grabbing onto her bowl of oatmeal tightly.

"I would like to make you more comfortable, and that resolves to treating you to something you haven't experienced before." Kirumi switches back to her duty-bound self.

"… Yeah, sure, okay. Whatever. " Maki sighs. "But it's not like I haven't been into town, you know."

"Right, but it has been years since you have taken time to relax and walk around town, yes? I would like to treat you to the joys of my people," Kirumi smiles, "And I imagine you'd like to pick out your own food and clothing for your stay."

"That… actually doesn't sound too bad." Maki shrugs and nods. "Sure, so long as I get a disguise."

"Certainly," Kirumi looks back down to her plate of food and continues eating. Before she takes another bite of her food, she says, "After breakfast, I will leave shortly to bring you your disguise."

Maki nods and continues with her own food.

So, she's actually going out with the prime minister around town? That's the complete opposite of her previous mission, but she couldn't help but actually like the idea at least. The only nuisance the plan is to her is making her slightly flustered by Kirumi's wish of spending time together. Whatever the hell is going on in that woman's head is out of range for Maki's own thoughts. Still, it surprised Maki that Kirumi would be "selfish" (as she says), considering all she has done is treat Maki, her ex-assassin. Repeat: _ex-assassin_ , emphasis on assassin.

Even so, Maki didn't turn down the plan. She figures perhaps this is another way Kirumi is trying to get more information out of Maki. Yeah, that's most likely what all of this is.

They continue to finish eating in silence.

The stupidly short ginger wig is starting to itch her scalp, and the sunglasses are far too cliche as a disguise. Not to mention she's supposed to be _blending_ with the crowd: the white dress shirt, black tie, and black pants sure as hell aren't allowing her to do that.

But the prime minister insisted that the disguise worked well for Maki. The other disguise that Kirumi offered was a little too close in Maki's looks with its black hair that was cut short to a bob cut. The rest of the outfit would have worked fine, but Maki felt it was too revealing, with its short-cut white dress.

Instead, that outfit went to the individual she stands next to; the tall and slender female's disguise almost fit her well, aside from the rounded glasses that look peculiarly comical. The white dress is a perfect fit for the female's curves, topping for a black leggings and boots. It stupidly matches Maki's own outfit, and she could only roll her eyes over that fact while also questioning was that Kirumi's intent.

No, it couldn't have been. It was just coincidence — that and those _are_ Kirumi's colors of choice, so Maki is sure that the choices would have been limited anyways.

The disguises certainly help though. None of the city people recognized their own prime minister in her disguise. Good thing, too, if they didn't want Regime members seeing and trying to kill both of them.

Still, she'd be more relieved if this annoying wig was less irritating on her head. The last burning heat of summer lingers in the autumn weather, making her sweat under all the clothes she was wearing. The city's brilliantly tall buildings refrain from blocking the sun, and there aren't trees around either so that Maki could hide underneath while she waited.

"Would you like to go to the shops for your attire first, or would you like to find some food… Miss?" Kirumi asks, adjusting her fake pair of squared glasses.

Maki squints, "Could you _not_ call me Miss?"

"My apologies. I just prefer addressing someone with formalities."

"Formalities are too weird for me," Maki states, hands on her hips. "Just don't call me anything so formal until we're back."

"I shall take that request then," Kirumi nods and looks around. "So, which would you like to go to?"

"Probably clothes. I don't mind the food back at the building, but I don't think it'd be good if I'm constantly stealing your clothes."

"Oh that's alright. I wouldn't mind. So long as it's sufficient, yes?" Kirumi suggests.

"No…" Maki mutters, awkwardly looking down before regaining her composure. "Your clothes don't exactly fit on me either… That and they're _your_ clothes."

"Ah, I see. I could have tailored the clothes that you preferred, so you can wear them whenever you choose to." Kirumi suggests again.

Maki groans lowly and turns her back to the other. Ignoring the other's suggestion, Maki states, "I'm going to get some clothes for myself."

Kirumi stares blankly at the shorter female as Maki walks onward but soon follows after. When Kirumi reaches the same pace as Maki and catches up to the currently ginger-haired girl, she gestures with her hand across the street, "Over there are the common shops for clothing. Would you like to go there?"

Maki nods quietly. The taller female walks ahead, the hems of her white dress being blown back as she makes a beeline over to their destination.

The two head to a crosswalk. Kirumi is going a little too far ahead.

"Uh, hey, Toujo. You mind slowing down?" Maki calls out, taking larger steps toward the woman, but the woman fails to hear her, continuing her path, stepping closer to the crosswalk.

Maki's eyes dart to the left and right of the street. When she turns left, she sees a car driving through, heading directly to the crosswalk they were going to. Her eyes remain on the car; the car failing to slow down. Then her eyes look to her companion, who absentmindedly took a step into the streets.

Immediately, Maki rushes to Kirumi's side. Swiftly, her feet take her to the end of the sidewalk. Reaching out, she calls for the other, "Toujo!"

She grips Kirumi's arm and pulls the tall female back forcefully onto the sidewalk. Kirumi bumps into Maki, making Maki stumble backwards.

The car passes with ease. Maki looks back at the empty street before looking at Kirumi's face, a hint of confusion on her face.

"Did you… not see the car?" Maki scowls.

Kirumi looks behind her to the streets. "Oh. I'm afraid not."

Maki shakes her head heatedly, "Do you really want to die?"

"Obviously not," Kirumi sighs before giving way to a smile, "But it seems you're upholding your job as my bodyguard, hm?"

As soon as Kirumi finishes, Maki instantly releases Kirumi's arm and walks away from Kirumi, groaning in disbelief. "Let's just go, alright?"

"Certainly," Kirumi continues to smile. Watching how flustered Maki got was almost… amusing to her.

Regardless, Kirumi follows along and the two remain silent as they head to the shop.

Even in the shop, Maki and Kirumi continue their silence. The shop is filled with various colorful racks around the room, almost messily. Maki even has to push a rack out of the way in order to make her way around the room, but as soon as she does, she finds a clear pathway to the counter. There at the counter is a figure, who looks almost like a statue standing by the counter. Dark bluish-gray hair strewn messily around her and beneath a pair of circular glasses. Maki would describe her as rather comical looking with those glasses, not to mention the rather odd outfit: the black skirt dress pulled up right below her chest area by suspenders over a white long sleeved dress shirt. Maki walks toward the counter.

"Hello?" Maki asks the figure at the counter, but the figure simply stands there without blinking, staring at the counter's surface. Maki raises a brow. Is the figure just an intricate mannequin?

Kirumi clears her throat, "Shirogane-san?"

"Huh?" The figure's head shoots up from staring at the barren counter. The figure turns her head toward Kirumi and immediately, she rushes past the counter and towards Kirumi.

She grasps Kirumi's hands in her own, shaking Kirumi's hands happily, "Ah! Toujo-san! It's such a pleasure to see you again!" The girl named "Shirogane" takes a step back from Kirumi, looking over Kirumi's attire. "And you're wearing a costume? You look amazing, Toujo-san!"

"I wouldn't have been able to retrieve these had it not been for you," Kirumi admits, tugging at the wig's black hair.

Shirogane's hands quickly reach for her cheeks as she smiles bashfully, "Oh, geez, that's… it's perfectly fine! I always wanted you to try out costumes once! I can't believe you actually did it though…"

Kirumi looks around the place, "Didn't you have time to clean this place?"

"I did…" Shirogane pouts, "But people just keep running in here and destroying my stuff, so it doesn't really matter if I try to clean after them." Then she lets out a defeated sigh, "I guess this is the weight I must bear as the Ultimate Cosplayer…"

 _Ultimate Cosplayer?_ Maki questions in her mind. A cosplayer running a tailor shop: it didn't seem too far out of range. However, seeing as Kirumi brought her here, Maki can only worry that Kirumi only wants Maki to wear _actual_ costumes, not clothing.

With that, Shirogane looks toward Maki sharply, her nose scrunching up toward Maki, "Is this a friend of yours?"

Coldly, Maki responds for Kirumi, "Just an acquaintance. Toujo wanted to take me to a place where I could get better clothes than _this_." She pulls at the neck of her shirt and grabs her ginger wig.

Shirogane covers her mouth, "Oh! Another person in costume! I'm pleased! And you wanted a new outfit, right? I'd be so delighted to help! Come! Come!"

Suddenly, the gray-blue haired girl pulls at Maki's hands and drags Maki into the numerous rows of clothing. Maki turns back to Kirumi awkwardly, but Kirumi only sighs and nods, gesturing that Maki should just follow along with what the girl has in store.

The blue haired girl stops in her tracks, and Maki bumps into her.

"What the hell?" Maki grumbles underneath her breath.

"Oh, sorry!" Shirogane apologizes as she glances back at Maki, "I just remembered I never introduced myself! I got a little carried away, eheh." She angles herself to look at Maki. "I'm Tsumugi Shirogane! And you are?"

"Maki. Harukawa." Maki crosses her arms. "And you're the Ultimate Cosplayer?"

"Yep! That's me! Cosplaying is my life! But I also run this shop of plain clothes. Toujo-san likes to come in here in case she needs a new costume to hide away from people in the city. She loves them, but sometimes, it becomes a little too much when she's trying to get something done."

"Uh… huh," Maki nods slowly. "Alright."

"And you?" Tsumugi points at Maki. "Are you an Ultimate, or are you a plain person who isn't causing the riots outside?"

In disregard, Maki says, "Ultimate."

"A-Are you not very comfortable with saying what it is?" Tsumugi stutters nervously.

"I don't… mind. I just think it's not important." Maki shrugs.

"The riots must have scared you, huh? I'm pretty scared myself..." Sighing, Tsumugi leans in closer to Maki, rubbing her finger against her pursed lips. "Hm…"

"W-What are you doing?" Maki steps back.

Tsumugi snaps her fingers, "I think I have an idea for your outfit!"

 _Already?_ "Well, anything is fine." Maki shrugs. "Just so long as I don't recognize myself."

"Oh, I see! Then I know all about doing that!" Tsumugi nods, taking in Maki's words. "Do you mind taking off your clothes and wig?"

"E-Excuse me?!" The quiet girl raises her tone, baffled at the request. "Like hell I would."

"Oh no no! I'm not…" Tsumugi chuckles weakly. "I just wanted to see what you _actually_ look like before I think up a better costume!"

"You could've just said that from the beginning," Maki rolls her eyes. Once she takes off the ginger wig, wig cap, and sunglasses off, the assassin could hear a gasp of excitement before her, noticing Tsumugi's light blue eyes almost sparkle from looking at Maki. In that instant, Maki could almost feel her entire face scrunch up in embarrassment.

"Black hair and red eyes!" Tsumugi points at Maki. "You're…! Are you a cosplayer too? A cosplay _underneath_ a cosplay?!"

"What? No," Maki shakes her head, "My hair's not even black. It's dark brown."

"Oh, is that so?" Tsumugi steps closer to Maki and looks at the top of Maki's head, where her hair is all pinned up from the wig cap, "Ah… It must have been the lighting in here. The last raid broke all my lights unfortunately… But it's such a shame… You look so pretty!"

"P-Pretty?" Maki's taken aback by the sudden words, almost nervous from the sound of those simple words. She shifts in her standing position, feet digging into the carpet. She would have played with her hair if she could, but that's all pinned up on her head.

Tsumugi nods, "Yes, absolutely! I'm sure Toujo-san would say the same!"

 _Toujo…_ Maki slightly looks past Tsumugi's shoulder to where Kirumi stands, remaining at the counter, before Maki looks back at Tsumugi, whose face of excitement still remains plastered on her face.

"I think you're a complete tsundere, right? I bet you'd look great with black hair with your red eyes! And ahh, maybe a simple white dress shirt with a red cravat, as red as a rose! You'd be such a perfect artwork then! Ergh, but… you should be careful about being in museums. You might get a little lost and who knows what happens then?" Tsumugi closes her eyes in thought and nods to herself.

Confused by Tsumugi's speech, Maki dismisses and asks, "Could we avoid black hair? It's too close to my actual hair color."

"Oh right! You wanted to look completely different." Tsumugi corrects herself. "But you _must_ get that outfit I was telling you about! I think you'd look really cute in it…. And you have to promise me that you'll try a black wig someday!" Then she returns to her focus, "Let's see… You have both an intimidating yet adorable face… That could be anything..." Turning to the rack next to her, her hands tug at the clothes to slide it across the rack to check for whatever attire she was searching for. She pulls out a tuxedo suit, something matching to the attires of a bartender. "I think this would look nice! You could even try perhaps a white wig or a blonde one with some sunglasses! Or maybe… even this! And this!" Rapidly, the girl with glasses picks out several clothes from the rack and passing it to Maki soon after, working like a machine. Despite someone of her calibur, Maki isn't able to keep up.

"H-Hey! Slow down!" Maki retorts, still attempting to catch the clothes that Tsumugi was throwing her way.

"But you'd look so great in all of these!" Tsumugi smiles excitedly. "Ah! It's been so long since I got the chance to dress someone up! The last time I did, Toujo-san and I were together, and let me dress her however way! She was such a beautiful android." The girl lets out a heartfelt sigh.

"Thanks, but," Maki places the large pile of clothes in her hands on top of the rack Tsumugi was emptying out, "I think I just want to check out the clothes on my own."

"A-Ah…" Tsumugi's tone drops. "I-I'm so sorry. I thought you wanted to… um…"

"Yes, but… I just wanted to check it out myself." Maki admits.

Tsumugi's head droops as she rubs her arm, embarrassed at her actions. "Okay… I'll let you decide then…" She turns away from Maki and walks past the cluttered racks of clothing, disappearing into the various rows of garments.

Maki gives a slight pout at Tsumugi's reaction, but she shakes her head and begins to look around.

Meanwhile, Tsumugi drags herself back to the cash register counter, but she stops herself in her path. Her light blue eyes pick up the sight of a short-black-haired individual looking through the racks lined up against the wall: the section that was set for formal wear (well, was, until the raids had messed up the setup).

Happily, Tsumugi strolls over to Kirumi's side, holding her hands against her chest. She calls out, "Toujo-san! Are you looking for something for the annual ball?"

Kirumi pulls her hand down from the clothes above her head and turns to Tsumugi, "Actually, I already have an outfit I would like to wear. However…" Kirumi looks over to Maki, who is busily sliding clothes back and forth. "Harukawa-san does not. I was merely looking for clothes that would fit her."

Tsumugi's energy returns in her eyes. "Oh, please, Toujo-san! Let me help you!"

"Your help is always beneficial. I've always trusted your eyes," The maid's pale pink lips curl up ever so slightly.

"Ah," Tsumugi shyly rubs her growing pink cheeks, "I-I'm sorry... I'm just so flattered!"

Kirumi rests her hand on Tsumugi's shoulder, feeling the other tense up and then relax within seconds, "I'm very glad we have maintained this friendship, regardless."

Tsumugi sheepishly smiles, "Me too… Ah but," She points over to Maki, "So is Harukawa-san a friend, or… Who is she?"

Kirumi keeps an eye on Maki, struggling to try on the clothes she had picked out, "She worked under me as my guard."

"I see, but… Why does she needs the clothes anyways?" Tsumugi asks, but immediately her eyes widen, "And you're treating her to clothes! Are you..?!"

Turning back to Tsumugi, Kirumi's hand tightens on Tsumugi's shoulder, silencing the other's outburst. Kirumi then sighs, "I have yet to define what our relationship is…"

"Buuut, you do seem… interested in her, aren't you?" Tsumugi ponders, "Even if we aren't together, I could still see the smiles you give her are just like the ones you've given me: like a girl willing to reverse time to protect the girl she loves! Not to mention you're treating her… Ah, maybe this situation is more like _Boku Dare Ga Inai_!"

Kirumi chuckles at Tsumugi's references, having no clue what the other is prattling on about, "You are right in believing so. I wish to be closer to Harukawa-san… After what I understand of her past, she deserves it."

Then Kirumi turns back to watch Maki from afar, taking back her hand from Tsumugi's shoulder. Tsumugi could see Kirumi's eyes soften at the sight of Maki — something that she always loved about Kirumi when Kirumi found something she loves. To Tsumugi, that gaze is like bathing in the warmest of waters, closing one's eyes, and letting one's self fade easily into the waters, or being in midair and letting the wind blow you away into many beautiful petals of a cherry blossom. While Kirumi's words are straightforward with her feelings, Tsumugi believes that Kirumi's eyes are what elaborated on her feelings the most.

With a lopsided grin, Tsumugi places her own hand onto Kirumi's shoulder. Once Kirumi's head turns to the touch of Tsumugi's hands, Tsumugi coos, "Then I'll try my very best to find the best outfit for Harukawa-san!"

Kirumi's lips ajar for a second before giving way to an endearing smile, "Thank you, Shirogane-san. I will always be grateful for you. But… Please ensure that Harukawa-san does not notice the outfit when I pay for it."

"Absolutely! I'll keep it a secret." Tsumugi playfully says, as the two begin to work through the racks of clothes to find the best outfit for Maki.

It took a while, but eventually, Maki had a decent set of clothes to wear. After struggling for a bit, she finally waved Tsumugi over to help her with a choice of clothes and wigs. The wigs were rather forced upon Maki, but Tsumugi insisted Maki should take the white wig with one part of the bangs covering the eyes, saying something along the lines that it'll help Maki want to understand people better. Something about a bartender who yearns to understand people…Maki could only remember bartender because Tsumugi kept coupling the white wig and the bartender outfit, but Maki couldn't keep up with whatever Tsumugi was referring to; or rather she just had no desire to really know. Regardless, she decided to take the wig due to Tsumugi's insistence; it wasn't too bad of a wig either — much better than the ginger wig that urged Maki to scratch her head. The bangs definitely annoyed her, but she almost liked its style.

After paying for a decent amount of clothes, Kirumi suggests that the two go to a park nearby, where they could buy something to eat and rest from their trip to Tsumugi's shop. Maki simply let the other lead on; Tsumugi's energy had drained her out. It was a different kind of tiredness than what she has been used to in Choukai. Rather than the physical exhaustion that would lead her crippling on the ground, this tiredness was weirdly refreshing. She wouldn't mind it if she had a better understanding of what exactly it is.

Either way, Maki still needed something to eat. She felt like she's been walking for half an hour now, but there is no sight of fatigue in the way the other steps forward.

Maki didn't pay much attention to whatever they passed by; the buildings all seemed the same to her — modern, made of concrete, and tall. The only things that stand out about the buildings were the different logos, but even then, that didn't stray Maki's attention away from her stomach.

However, the number of buildings the two pass begin to vanish, replaced by spurts of trees. The further they walk, the more light gave way to nature's colors: the varying hues of leaves of the trees, dancing in the passing wind; the blossoming tones of the flowers that perked up from the light green grass, lined up in rows; the only sight of mankind's touch in this natural view being the central clearing, with benches surrounding a fountain placed in the center of the clearing, whose base was adorn with daisies and patches of grass sprouting from dark soil; all of this encircled by spans of bushes. And to the side were vendors lining side by side to one another. Upon entering the central clearing, Maki could already smell the food grilling or some of the sweets that filled the air.

It took a while trying to figure out what to eat; there were way too many options for Maki to choose from, compared to amount that she is able to choose from when Kirumi makes her meals, but as soon as they settled with one, Maki's stomach began to growl louder and as soon as the food was in her hands, she faced no hesitation to chow down on the food before leaving off to one of the benches in the park.

After Kirumi pays the vendor, who was feeling quite satisfied seeing Maki immediately eat the food, Kirumi bows toward the vendor and waves a farewell, heading to where Maki is.

Maki's red eyes remain low as she chews away at the chicken kabob, her jaw slightly moving from every chew. To Kirumi, it's rather cute to see the other like this. As Kirumi focuses on the view before her, she simply sits down next to the other and laying a hand on Maki's shoulder.

Maki stiffens and turns her head sharply toward Kirumi before relaxing her shoulders and returning her attention to the food.

"...You must be enjoying the food," Kirumi breaks the silence.  
Maki gulps down her food before she takes another stick in her hand and passes it to Kirumi. Gratefully, Kirumi takes it into her hands and begins to eat as well.

"I just haven't had this in a long while. I forgot how good it is." Maki admits quietly.

"Ah, I see. I… apologize if the food I've made did not suit your taste." Kirumi slows her speech.

"It's not that, Toujo." Maki grumbles, "Your cooking is great. I just forgot how great some of the traditional food is…"

Kirumi nods, "Then perhaps I can make more for you."

"Do what you want, Toujo." Maki shrugs. "It's fine either way. It's always going to be good. Trust me." Maki smiles in assurance toward Kirumi, making Kirumi smile back.

"I am glad then." Kirumi nods.

The two return to silence, as they continue to eat their food, both staring out toward the fountain, water continuously flowing from the top into the base. There are children running around the fountain, laughing aloud with one another. They gleefully splash each other with the fountain water, and with every splash comes another roar of laughter. There are a couple of kids happily looking over the flowers at the base of the fountain as well, trying to reach out to them with their tiny arms, only brushing the colorful petals with the tip of their fingers. The scene almost makes Maki's heart feel light — a wave of nostalgia beginning to overwhelm her into ease.

The assassin lowers her hand from her face and lets out a sigh, closing her eyes and thinking back to the days before her time in the bootcamp.

"Is something the matter, Harukawa-san?" Kirumi lays her hand again on Maki's shoulder.

"Oh…" Maki coos, "It's just… children."

Kirumi raises a brow before turning to the cheers of the kids running around. "Are they bothering you? We can move elsewhere to eat —"

"No. Actually… _Surprisingly_ , they aren't at all." Maki twirls the stick in her hand between her fingers dismissively. "Funny. I usually would be annoyed, but I can't help but feel… at ease for once. It makes me feel like I'm back at the orphanage."

"Oh, that's right: you were in an orphanage before this," Kirumi says.

Maki nods, "I was one of the oldest kids there, and the other kids would start relying on me for everything. It got really annoying, having them cling onto me all the time, but… didn't think I would actually miss it."

Kirumi's eyes soften at the sight of Maki looking at the children. Her own gaze follows Maki's to the children laughing and playing together. Through the children, the maid attempts to imagine Maki as a child, refusing to play but being dragged along by other children, a small smile escaping the girl's lips but quick to hold back the smile and return to a solemn face.

Imagining it now, Kirumi could definitely see Maki acting in such a fashion.

"Even then, you're quite reliable, Harukawa-san," Kirumi nods in agreement with her own statement.

"Well, it's what I had to do when so many of the kids wouldn't leave me alone," Maki sighs, a hint of melancholy tuning into her voice.

"Perhaps you can go back then, Harukawa-san," Kirumi suggests.

The other shakes her head, "No…That'd be risking the kids' lives. I wouldn't want to do that when Choukai's still got a target on me."

"Perhaps when all of this is over," Kirumi gives an alternative.

" _When_ it's over, sure," Maki shrugs, leaning against the back of the bench and looking up at the cloudy sky. "You sure you're doing the right thing to put it all to an end?"

"I can assure you that I will, with your help." Kirumi stoically states.

Turning her head, Maki asks, "So treating me and doing all these nice things will put an end to all those riots?"

"These actions are merely decisions I've chosen to take care of you."

Maki shakes her head, "You don't have to do all that: buying me new clothes, treating me to food… Really, Toujo…"

"It's in my nature to do the best that I can, and of course it's no trouble." Kirumi smiles.

"In your nature as a maid?"

"Yes," Kirumi nods, "But also because I like taking care of you and spending more time with you. While it is beneficial to gain information regarding Choukai, I also just want to understand you, Harukawa-san."

"Oh…" Maki pouts, putting the stick she's been holding into the bag of now-empty sticks. "But seriously, all this? For my wellbeing? You know I'm not a princess or anything like that. In fact, I _was_ about to be your killer."

Kirumi sighs in frustration, almost making Maki shudder in her seat, but instead her red eyes dart away from the increasing creases on Kirumi's face.

"We have gone over why I still treat you as such despite that," Kirumi promptly says, "Yet it still fails to process through your head."

"Your blood was nearly on my hands," Maki argues.

"But you hesitated." Kirumi points out, "Not to mention, you still had so many chances to kill me, but instead you stayed by my side — even protected me. That is why I am happy to treat you and be by your side."

"Be… by my side," Maki lets the words sink in. The words Kirumi speaks — they are words she's heard many times over the past couple of days, but there was more weight in these words than before. Perhaps it is the frustration in Kirumi's tone that gives them more weight.

"And of course, for the sake of questioning, it _would_ be beneficial if I made you more comfortable in this situation." Kirumi admits.

Maki drops her shoulders and shakes her head, chuckling, "Yeah, of course. I get that."

"However… the most important factor in my care for you is that I always feel elated when I care for you or whenever I am by your side..." Kirumi admits, closing her eyes and folding her hands on her lap. "Perhaps it is wrong of me to feel this way. To feel something beyond the casual guest hospitality."

 _Wait_ … Maki arches her eyebrows. Kirumi's sudden tangent startles Maki. Her words made sense until this point, but now she could only feel confused.

"Oh, sorry. A slip of the tongue." Kirumi excuses herself from continuing, only bringing her hand to her face, covering her mouth as though to stop herself from speaking further; her green eyes full of skepticism.

Maki shakes her head, in denial of what her mind is concluding, "Feel something beyond casual guest hospitality?"

"Oh, don't worry, Harukawa-san," Kirumi mutters into her hand, "I was just prattling on. Perhaps I was wrong… But, it certainly is something that has been crossing my mind recently."

"You may as well say it," Maki advises, "Since you keep suggesting it."

"Oh, yes. I'm not quite sure if it is true at all, but since you and I have began working together, since I saw the you beyond your job as a guard, I began taking an interest in you, wishing I could continue to be by your side and ensure your wellbeing." Kirumi admits quietly, refusing to look at Maki. "It's… hard to say, though, but I believe all the choices I've made are far beyond my rules for guest hospitality — all for your sake. So, perhaps it is true that I..."

Kirumi's eyes look down at the space between Maki and her. Her eyelids lower and a bittersweet smile graces her face. Her hand hesitantly reaches out toward Maki's own that sits on the bench, but Kirumi pulls back, holding her hand to her chest. "No, it's foolish of me. We should just work on ending these riots."

"Toujo…" Maki sadly calls out for the other. Kirumi does not respond, the dark bangs of her wig cover her face, hiding her face away.

But quietly, Kirumi's warm voice peaks out, "But… would it be alright to ponder on these feelings?" Kirumi once again glances at Maki's hand before reaching out for it once more and finally grabbing it. Maki's hands— they were delicate yet firm — warm in her own. Fragile yet strong. "Is it even right to care for you like this?"

Maki looks down at their hands holding each other, and soon, Maki holds Kirumi's hands more tightly. "It's... fine feeling the way you do. That's you. Can't just deny that part of you. And… I don't mind it either." Maki looks away from their hands, biting her lips at her pathetic attempts of sewing comforting words together.

"Are you sure?" Kirumi asks.

Maki wouldn't expect Kirumi to act the way she does now. To think the prime minister would act in such a fashion almost baffles Maki, but with the things that are going on now, she couldn't help but reconnect with her own fleeting feelings.

Fleeting… More like feelings that she wished to ignore.

Because she too had began to feel something for the other as well.

Maki nods slightly, "Yeah. I'm sure, Toujo."

Kirumi ponders, "I wonder though… How is it that you can say that so easily when you too are rather reserved in your feelings?"

"... What?" Shocked by the counterargument, Maki turns to look at Kirumi, but Kirumi's eyes are elsewhere.

"Really, I'm glad you told me, but you also tend to hide your own feelings, and it's like you said: they are a part of you. So don't be afraid to show them. It would make everyone happier that way." Kirumi explains.

 _What is she going on about?_ Maki questions in her own mind, but the question is quick to vanish. She knows full well what Kirumi is talking about, but the answer to such a question is somewhere locked up within the confines of her mind. Sealed away, but deeply engraved in her being.

Even so, Maki continues to hold Kirumi's hand, responding, "Still… Don't deny it, alright? It's fine."

Kirumi sighs in relief and pats Maki's hand with her free hand, "I'm glad then. I just hope that these feelings will not bother you too much. I will be sure to keep them in check, and hopefully they will pass."

With that, Kirumi lets go of Maki's hand and stands up. "It is getting late into the day. Maybe we should return to my office, yes?"

"A-Ah, right…" Maki stands up slowly, Kirumi's counterargument and her own words echoing in her mind.

"Is… something the matter, Harukawa-san?"

"I…" Maki blurts out but holds her tongue. Something is itching to be spoken, but she holds tightly onto those words before they can get out.

"Harukawa-san?"

"...Forget it." Maki begins to walk forward. "Let's just go back."

Kirumi nods and follows after.

Perhaps it's just something that Maki must think more about first. Something she just needs to sort out in her head.


	8. Ch 7: Prime Minister Ball

"Harukawa-san, do you know what today is?" Kirumi looks up from her plate of food. The two have been eating a light lunch in the building's dining room, where large windows frame one side of the room, letting the light shine through brilliantly. To Maki, who just woke up around an hour ago, the rays are still blearing and harsh to her eyes.

"I wouldn't know," Maki grumbles. "It's not like time really matters to me." That and she lost track of time. It's been a couple of days since she first began to stay here — maybe even a week. It's not like she has a calendar on her person or in her room either.

As Maki takes a sip of her water, Kirumi responds, "Today is the day of the annual ball."

A splutter of water spews from Maki's lips. The assassin hacks and coughs to the side of the table. When she manages to recover, Maki peers from over the table to Kirumi, "... The what?"

"The annual prime minister ball. Have you heard about it?" Kirumi asks, while she continues to eat away at her meal, taking bits of the food up on her fork. "It's an event held by the prime minister to commemorate and show gratitude towards the city's people."

"I see where this conversation is heading, and I don't like it." Maki bluntly states.

Kirumi darts her eyes toward Maki, beckoning the other to hear her out. "It's a fun event, Harukawa-san. I'd love it if you would attend the event, too. It will be taking place in the large ballroom on the first floor."

"No offense, Toujo, but I wouldn't attend the event, even if you said it's the most wonderful event to take place ever." Maki rolls her eyes. "Plus, I'm not the type to go to those events."

"Have you been to one before?"

"…No."

"So how would you know you're not the type?" Kirumi asks.

"I don't know. The idea of people all dressed in galore seems too unreal for me. It's kind of… uncomfortable, really." Maki shrugs, leaning back in her chair.

"I see…" Kirumi's voice trails off. "So you wouldn't want to give it a try?"

"Absolutely not," Maki crosses her arms.

"Not even for a couple of minutes?"

"No."

Kirumi sighs, her face twisting in disagreement, yet shaking her head, "Understood."

"Good. I'll just hole up in my room, if you don't mind." Maki pushes against her chair to slide it back so she can stand up. "If there's any good food left over, mind handing it back to me?"

"Not a problem," Kirumi smiles and nods, before sliding her own chair back and standing up. Maki raises a brow at the other's practically untouched plate.

"You're not going to finish?" Maki asks, collecting her own empty plates.

The gray-haired woman doesn't respond, smile dropping as she quickly takes her plates and walks into the kitchen to return them.

Before Maki follows along and goes to the kitchen, Kirumi exits out, looking directly at Maki, "There's something I must attend to. For the party."

"O…kay?" Maki skeptically responds then tries to enter the kitchen, stepping to the side of Kirumi, but Kirumi steps in the same direction. Maki steps in the other direction. Kirumi steps in the same way. The two awkwardly fumble with each other, trying to step out of each other's ways but only landing right in front of each other once more. The more they continue, the more creases appears on both of their faces.

Kirumi clears her throat, covering her mouth, "Pardon me, Harukawa-san."

"Y-Yeah," Maki stutters, as she turns herself so Kirumi can walk forward and off to wherever it is she was going.

Watching the other walk off, Maki notices that Kirumi is walking at a relatively fast speed. She decides to shrug it off, walking into the kitchen and returning her dishes to the sink of the kitchen.

But as she set the dishes in the sink, as she turns on the water of the sink, her thoughts slowly return back to Kirumi hurriedly making her exit out of the dining hall, trying to figure out what purpose would Kirumi be rushing to leave. Kirumi shouldn't be having any meetings today since she did say today was the day of the ball. Perhaps Kirumi has to discuss with someone about the ball.

But why would Kirumi be rushing that quickly?

Now that she thinks about Kirumi, Maki could remember while the two of them were continuously stepping into each other's paths, Kirumi's face was growing more distraught — agitated. It must have been one hell of a time constraint that Kirumi was under for her to be rushing in heels down the halls.

But Kirumi did start looking that way as soon as Maki decided to refuse the party… and the maid did start moving as soon as Maki said she's going back to her room.

And knowing Kirumi…

Maki quickly shuts off the water and rushes down the hallway, too, back to her room. She can only hope the reason why Kirumi would be hurrying is simply because she needed to attend to something planned for the ball, but —

She turns the corner and suddenly, she sees Kirumi still running down the hall.

"T-Toujo?" Maki calls out. Kirumi peers over her shoulder, who seemingly, hesitantly forced herself to stop running to face Maki.

"…Harukawa-san? Is something the matter?" Kirumi's eyes don't seem to fall on Maki. They seem to continuously look to the side, down the path that she was running.

"That's what I'd like to know," Maki arches her brows. "Why are you in a rush?"

"… I apologize, Harukawa-san. I must go," Kirumi lowers her head, turns back and starts to run down her path again.

"T-Toujo?!" Maki calls out, baffled by the other's inabilities to answer her question. It is then that Maki begins to trod the path chasing after Kirumi.

Kirumi turns her head back as soon as she hears another pair of shoes stomping behind her, "Harukawa-san? What do you need?"

"The answer to my question, Toujo," Maki raises her voice.

But Kirumi instead picks up the pace — her running speeds up more than Maki expected.

Maki shakes her head in shock, questioning Kirumi's capabilities as she tries her best to pick up her own pace. Her breathing is as quick as her steps, her chest rising and falling in an unsteady rhythm.

The more Kirumi looks back, the faster Kirumi begins to run. If Maki wasn't so keen about catching up with Kirumi, she would have been rather impressed.

But she can see that the maid is running toward a door, nearly running past it but grabbing at the doorway to pull herself back. Maki can recognize these hallways now; the door Kirumi stops at — it was _Maki's_ door.

Maki stops running as soon as she gets to the now-open door, "Toujo, what are you doing?"

The other is busy rummaging through Maki's wardrobe to respond.

Maki stomps into the room toward the wardrobe, but the maid pushes her hand back against Maki's shoulder while the other hand slides clothes back and forth furiously.

Maki keeps switching her view from Kirumi's frantic face to the quickness of the woman's hands as they pull hangers from side to side.

Cocking her head to the side, Maki laughs mockingly and crosses her arms, "Oh, don't tell me… Did you _actually_ think I would say yes?"

It is then that Kirumi finally retracts her hand back and reveals a long black pencil dress; the shoulder's sleeves and chest are veil-like and see-through.

Maki bitterly grins at the dress. "You can't be serious…"

"I apologize, Harukawa-san," Kirumi huffs. "I didn't want to further pressure you since you said you don't want to take part in the dance."

"I figured as much," Maki sighs at the other's action. "But you went so far as to finding a dress for me? When'd you even sneak this dress into my wardrobe?"

Kirumi remains silent, lowering the dress just enough so the hems of the dress would barely graze the ground.

"Whatever," Maki shakes her head. "My answer is no."

"I understand," Kirumi says, "But I must admit, as soon as I saw this dress I believed that you would look wonderful in it. I couldn't help but buy it from Shirogane-san for you. You may not wear it for the party, but I'm sure if you did wear it for other events, you will look beautiful."

"I-I…" Maki tries to protest but she stops as soon as she hears herself stutter at Kirumi's compliment. She takes a deep breath to regain her composure before attempting again. "It's nice you did all that… but still, my answer is no."

Kirumi closes her eyes, "I understand. That is quite alright." She looks down at the dress.

Maki's gaze follows, looking at the dress once again. With a lopsided grin of assurance and attempted comfort, she suggests, "It's okay. Maybe I'll wear it another time."

"If you wish," Kirumi returns the dress back to the wardrobe before closing the wardrobe. The maid turns back to Maki, "Now, I do actually have something I must attend to for the sake of the ball. I hope you have a wonderful day. Perhaps you may change your mind."

"Oh, I doubt that," Maki walks toward her bed and sits herself down with her legs crossed.

"That's fine. I will return with any leftovers later tonight then." Kirumi smiles, but Maki can tell from her there's something sad about that smile, but Maki waves it off as something off about her own perception.

Maki merely responds with an "Oh… Alright."

And with that, Kirumi bows and exits out of the room, slowly closing the door behind her as Maki watches with careful eyes.

Maki sighs before her eyes return to the wardrobe. She gets up to go back to the wardrobe. She picks out the pencil dress that Kirumi had bought for her. Laying it on her arm Maki traces her hand on the fabric of the dress. Soft, almost a velvet-like material.

But as soon as thoughts of going pass her mind, she rapidly puts the dress away and returns to her bed, flopping into the soft mattress.

"No way." She mutters to herself. She lets herself stare at the blank ceiling, rejecting any thoughts of going to the party before falling asleep.

The hands of the clock in her room read 6:30 PM. By now, Maki could only imagine that the party is starting. It isn't like Kirumi told her what time the party was taking place either. She hasn't heard a single word from the prime minister this entire time, so Maki would have figured Kirumi must have been quite busy with planning.

Why would Maki even bother with the time if she said she doesn't want to go? She's just been wondering when will be a good time to be wandering outside to get food without getting caught in the business of the party. After all, she isn't looking completely good either, wearing sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt. If anything she's just ready for bed. Her hair also looks far too messy from laying in bed to be going outside either.

She'll just have to wait for Kirumi to come back with the leftover food. Hopefully it's good.

 _Knock. Knock._

Oh, that must have been Kirumi… But it seems odd that the party would be over. Maybe Kirumi is just giving Maki the first portion of the food before the guests can get a chance to take it away.

The door opens and from behind steps out a figure that seemed to glow in Maki's eyes. Everything about the figure is ethereal for Maki: the black hairband that rests neatly on the silver-gray hair; the matching black dress with no sleeves, tattered with spiderweb-like patterns on the hems and chest area; the gray veil that embraces the figure's shoulders; the black mascara that highlights the glowing cerulean green eyes of the figure; the dark purplish-black thin lips. How odd was it that someone so darkly colored in looks can shine brightly to Maki.

"You look wonderful for the party, Harukawa-san," Kirumi chuckles.

"O-Oh, uh," Maki has to pull her eyes away from the other, refraining herself from gazing anymore.

"Is something the matter, Harukawa-san?" Kirumi asks, confused by Maki's quickness to avert her gaze.

"You look… good," Maki attempts to compliment, fiddling with her long messy hair.

Kirumi giggles, "I'm flattered, Harukawa-san. I just wanted to come by before the party to see if you are doing alright."

"Yeah. I'm fine. Really. You can go now." Maki rubs her eyes, continuing to look away from Kirumi.

"If you insist," Kirumi bows, but as she places her black gloved hands on the contrasting white doorway, she asks, "Oh, I will try to come back every now and then with some food. Please wait for me."

"It's fine. I can wait till after the party. You should deal with your guests," Maki says.

"Alright." Kirumi runs her hand down the doorway, "Then I will see you in a bit. Perhaps you may change your mind later and come get the food when it's fresh."

"We'll see about that, but no promises," Maki flashes a lopsided grin at Kirumi before Kirumi takes off to the party.

That's when Maki exhales a breath she didn't realize she was holding in. She runs her hands across her face and shakes her head, folding her hands together against the back of her neck.

"What am I thinking?" She mutters, shaking her head again. Maki's head just keeps circling back to Kirumi dressed luxuriously; how all the things Kirumi wore complimented everything about her looks.

"What am I _thinking_?" Maki repeats into her hands that cover her now reddish face. She runs her hands through her hair and shakes her head.

"Nope. No way…" She has to keep telling herself, like a mantra.

But she pauses in her movement. Then, defeatedly, she takes a gulp and lets out a heavy sigh.

She's going to regret this decision. She's going to _absolutely_ hate the situation so much. What's to stop her from already hating this situation? She's surrounded by random strangers that would sometimes glance back at her and all she can do is shoo them away by glaring daggers back at them. She's also wearing this incredibly uncomfortable dress (thanks to Kirumi), and what's saving her is wearing this brown trench coat to hide it so she cannot attract anymore attention to herself.

And all this because Maki just _couldn't_ stop thinking about Kirumi wearing that dress. She continuously argued in her head before all this, while she was struggling to zip up her dress (that she realized looks rather similar to Kirumi's own dress), that she was only going because there was food, but the image of Kirumi entering gracefully into her room, looking so formal, looking so... perfect, with the way everything on her looked good — looking so beautiful… Maki had to give in to that belief that Kirumi was undoubtedly the reason for her going.

So stupid, she repeats in her head. If she could, she'd gladly like to hit her head against something. She must have been completely out of her mind.

She hasn't even seen Kirumi at all at this party. Go figure when there's just far too many people crowding in the room. Maki also did just come here for the food anyways (she keeps telling herself this), so she decides to station herself in the corner nearby the food table.

So, Maki merely stands, picking at the bits of food on her plate with her fork, leaning her back against the wall and watching the scene of the ballroom; white columns supporting the different floors, all surrounding the central area where many dance. The brooding woman could barely hear the jazzy tune over the incessant chattering of the crowd. People all dressed up in such rich fashion that Maki could have sworn she was dreaming — or rather in someone else's dreams. Laughter and joy, as well as the bittersweet smell of wine fills the air, and Maki can't tell from her fidgeting against the wall whether it was making her uneasy or she was enjoying the scene.

Either way, Maki's only hoping that either she can finish her food up quickly or perhaps Kirumi could appear soon. She could have sworn, from the little bits of the music she can pick up, that she has waited through two or three songs. Looking down at her food, she finds her plate almost empty, and a part of her wants to grab more food. She reasons with herself that she was just starving is all — nothing more than that. _Absolutely_ nothing more than that.

Oh, but the immediate sight of the pale woman Maki's been looking for makes her freeze up in her place. Among the crowd, Maki spots the other: the way that the other takes small steps, or how her veil is draped around her shoulders, or the way that the long dress trails behind. Maki doesn't make much note of those that surround the woman, but she can see how the woman's black lips curl into a smile or a chuckle at her guests' remarks. Even from a distance, the dark eyeshadow on her makes the woman's eyes glow more than they usually do —

 _Stop it._ Maki shakes her head. She has to stop herself from being an idiot. Quickly, she returns her attention back to the crumbs of food on her plate, continuously toying with it using her fork.

But no matter how much she tries to force her attention away using the fork and her food, her eyes would keep trying to catch a glimpse of the prime minister and again she would shake her head to rid of her silly thoughts.

Her head shaking and eyes darting increases as soon as she sees the other walking towards her. Despite the loud chattering around her, Maki's ears begin to hone in on the taps of the other's heels against the ceramic floor. With the slight tilt upward of her head, Maki can see those heels approaching her, and she isn't sure whether she should look forward or keep her head down. So her head remains only slightly tilted up at an awkward angle.

"Harukawa-san," It's the sweet tone of Kirumi's voice. Maybe it's the way that Maki is right now, but her body tenses up at the sound, despite how calming and warm it is. "You decided to attend the party."

"Yeah," Maki briefly replies, keeping her head low.

"And I see you've gotten your dinner," Kirumi chuckles quietly at the other, and it makes Maki turn her head away. "Are you enjoying yourself here?"

"The food's pretty good, I'd say," Maki cocks her head away from Kirumi.

"I'm glad to hear it, but I've noticed you've been back here the entirety of the party upon your arrival."

"You saw me come in?" Maki perks her head up immediately.

"I do have to tend to the guests, so I notice when a new guest has arrived," Kirumi admits, "But I have to say: you look rather captivating, Harukawa-san."

"I'm wearing a coat." Maki blankly states.

"And even then, you look beautiful." Kirumi calmly smiles.

Maki clenches her plate and sheepishly bows her head. If she didn't have a better grip on her emotions, Maki is pretty sure she would have dropped her damn plate already.

She almost does when she hears Kirumi laugh more.

"...Having fun?" Maki jeers at Kirumi's laughter.

"My apologies, Harukawa-san," Kirumi holds her hand to her chest, "I'll stop if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Well, good," Maki steps away from the other towards the food, trying her best to flee from the situation (that, and she can definitely feel heat on her face; she isn't quite sure if it's her or just the vast amount of people crowding in the room).

Kirumi walks after Maki, though, "Will you be staying for the duration of the party?"

"I was only here for the…" Maki turns back, only to be greeted by Kirumi's looks once again; the woman seemingly close to her. Maki's voice trails off as she steps back, "Food."

"Ah, I see," The woman says. "So you haven't gotten the chance to dance yet?"

"Toujo," Maki sighs heavily, cutting the other woman off, "Do you really think that I'd be the type of person to dance?"

"You _did_ come to the ball—"

"Food." Maki gestures, waving her free hand and her plate to the large table of food.

"I suppose that cannot be helped," Kirumi shrugs and shakes her head.

"Alright, so I'll just go back to getting more food then," Maki excuses herself, but Kirumi reaches out for Maki's shoulder, the gloved hand brushing against the translucent black sleeves of Maki's dress, making the assassin jump away and turn sharply back to Kirumi.

"Did you need something, Toujo?" Maki questions.

The way that Kirumi retracts her hand, holding it back to her chest, with her face lowered and eyes averted — almost shyly. Maki could not recall this look on Kirumi. It was as though the other was…

Hesitating.

Maki takes a step closer to Kirumi, "Are you okay?"

"Oh, no. It's nothing, Harukawa-san," Kirumi closes her eyes, Maki taking note of that dark eyeshadow that paint the prime minister's eyelids, little bits of glitter make it shine under the ballroom's light.

Maki gulps and asks again, "Are you sure? You don't seem like you're okay."

"I didn't want to step past my boundaries, but I thought perhaps we could share a dance." Kirumi covers her mouth with her hand.

"... A dance?" Maki raises a brow.

"You did say that you haven't been to one before. I didn't think you would come, but now that you're here…" Kirumi's gaze falls back on Maki and it almost makes Maki want to shrink in her place, but those light green eyes that make Maki think of a gentle field of grass soften when they come into contact with Maki's gaze.

"Y-Yeah, I get it," Maki shakes her head. "You don't have to explain the rest."

"I know that you do not wish to. It's fine, but if it's alright, I'd like to spend the rest of the night by your side," Kirumi offers.

Maki falls silent to the woman's offer. It's unexpected. Really.

Her thoughts are swimming again, unsure of how to respond to the offer, but she knows deep down she would like that. She finds herself being idiotic for wanting that — for feeling this way. She would blame the fact that Kirumi was being so open about her feelings the other day, saying things like "I'm happy to be by your side" or whatever. Or even when Kirumi would compliment the other.

And yet, the way she has been looking at Kirumi this entire night…

Maki heaves a great big sigh, which makes Kirumi look at the assassin in concern.

"Is something the matter, Harukawa-san? It's alright if you do not wish to. I— "

"Come on."

"Pardon?" Taken aback, Kirumi asks for clarification.

Maki heads to one of the chairs that were laid out for the guests to relax on, placing her plate on the seat before taking off the coat she had been wearing and putting that on the back of the chair. She reluctantly reaches out for Kirumi's gloved hands, first letting her hand brush against the fabric of Kirumi's gloves but quickly retracting. With her hand still held out toward the other, she turns away without another word.

Kirumi stares down at the outreached hand, blinking in confusion toward the other's actions.

In agitation, Maki groans, "Come on, Toujo. Don't you want to dance?"

Kirumi blinks once more before bringing the hand on her chest to Maki's. Their fingers elapse over one another, fitting perfectly between each other.

Hurriedly, Maki begins to lead Kirumi toward the ballroom floor, embarrassed at her stupid impulsive decision. "Let's just get this over with."

With a lopsided grin, Kirumi nods quietly and follows after Maki.

Meanwhile, Maki can already feel a weight of humiliation and shame overwhelming her. She's trying to the best of her abilities to balance her nervously shaking self as she walks over; it looks even more ridiculous when she's wearing flats — not high heels.

The closer they both get to the dance floor, the more Maki feels nervous about this, wanting to deny this request, but she's already here and her impulsive wants led her here. What kept her from running away was Kirumi also wanting this. It's the least that Maki can do after all that Kirumi has done for her.

The slow music that plays from the stage fills the air, a simple piano tune; each key rings a tone one after another, like raindrops, solemn in its sound, as though the sky was darkening.

Maki turns nervously to Kirumi, only first looking down to their feet but slowly looking up at Kirumi. Already it has seemed like the two began moving to the sound of each note being played on the piano; Kirumi's hand delicately placing her hand on Maki's hip and taking Maki's hand in her own. Maki shifts under Kirumi's hand and places her other hand on Kirumi's exposed shoulder, feeling the other's soft pale skin under her thin fingers. Kirumi doesn't seem phased at the touch; no, the other merely smiles at the contact.

"Are you sure you would like to do this?" Kirumi asks the other.

But the other is too busy trying to bite down on her lip to respond with words and only gestures a nod.

Then with the soft rhythm of the tune, they begin to move. Kirumi guides Maki swiftly on the floor; Maki clumsily following after. Maki keeps her eyes glued to the floor, weary that she may trip on her feet or even step on the other's feet, but she begins to see the pattern to these movements and her messy movements become as swift and flawless as Kirumi's, and it begins to feel as though they were moving in the air or under the rain: free and refreshing.

Very slowly, as the raindrops begin to pelter, how odd it is to Maki that it seems like the clouds had begun to appear — the violins subtly playing into the piece to support each raindrop of a note. She remembers the hand that supports her hip, her eyes moving from their feet to her hip; the hand guides and keeps Maki at bay with the other, just as gravity pulls in the rain from the clouds.

Daunting does the piano sound, swaying with the violin's hum, as the two spin gracefully across the dance floor. Things begin to fall away around Maki, until it was simply the assassin and the prime minister in this scenario underneath a dark sky with the clouds and the rain. She does not even focus anymore on the way her feet slide across the floor; she's only mesmerized how is it that Kirumi can guide her so smoothly.

That's when Maki finally gets the courage to look at the woman's face, just when the violin falls away, allowing the piano's melody to shed light on its own. It is then that Maki's eyes meet with Kirumi's, and under the ballroom's light, she can see the glimmer in Kirumi's eyes. She can see the sharp features of Kirumi's face: the curl of the other's black lips, the sparkles of the eyeshadow that the other used, her pale cheeks, the silver hair that curls perfectly around Kirumi's round face — a color like a comet streaking the night sky. That is exactly what Kirumi is: that of the midnight sky.

She tries to shake the thoughts away, but the thought protrudes further into her mind, echoing louder and louder with the rhythm of the song that floods her ears, and her urge to remain with this midnight sky, with the rain and the dark clouds, becomes all she wants and thinks about.

But a soft, gentle voice cuts through those melodies that sing; from the black lips that Maki's eyes stare at now.

"Harukawa-san," Kirumi's voice — she speaks quietly, in a slightly whispering tone. "I'm quite happy that I'm able to share this moment with you."

"I… So am I," Maki sheepishly mutters.

"You're actually rather good at dancing," Kirumi compliments the other, leaning her head down.

"O-Oh…" Maki clears her throat, trying to shy away from the other's compliments. "It's not like _I'm_ the one leading anyways."

"But I'm honored to have you as my partner," Kirumi's lips — she smiles the same smile she usually does, and yet it only makes Maki feel tangled in her thoughts — her words. "And it's made me happy to converse with you for the past couple of days."

How is it that the two of them made it this far? The assassin and her former target — now dancing together. How did they become so close? So close that they hold each other close now?

The hand Maki places on Kirumi's shoulder makes its way down Kirumi's arm.

"I...I'm glad for that, too." Maki stutters out. "If anything, I have to thank you."

"Thank me?" Kirumi asks, the two beginning to only sway to the piano and violin's song.

"For even believing in me," Maki continues, "For even giving me a chance to help you out… And for even treating me in the way you do."

"It really is nothing—"

"But it really _is_ something, Toujo," The assassin's face glows red as she turns her head away, "After all that I've been through, I've almost forgotten what living felt like beyond Choukai. And yet, taking me to all those places, treating me so nicely… I began to remember, and things began to feel okay for once. For once, I wasn't so scared or terrified of just getting out of bed."

"Harukawa-san…" Maki can feel Kirumi's grip tighten around her hand.

"I'm just… happy that things turned out this way." The assassin admits with her head lowered, continuing to sway under Kirumi's guidance.

But soon, Maki feels Kirumi's hand let go of her own… and the feeling of that absence freezes Maki in place. Instantly, her words fall and her regret grows, as she pulls herself away from the other. How silly of her to pour out her feelings so carelessly. So idiotically.

Then her body's cold senses submerge into something warm: an enveloping warmth, and from the warmth, the voice that Maki has grown to love speaks out, "And I'm just as happy."

Kirumi's body presses against Maki's own, as the two stand there in an embrace.

Slowly, Maki wraps her arms around Kirumi's body and pulls the other in toward her. How long must it have been since the last time she was able to embrace someone like this, she wonders. So long that it is beginning to overwhelm the assassin, pouring her emotions out as tears in her eyes.

And they stay in each other's embrace for some time, as the piano and violin turn into low hums. Just the two and the music, unaware of what else goes on around them. Just happy to be there with each other.

"Did I ever mention how beautiful you looked?" Kirumi whispers. Maki only buries her face into Kirumi's shoulder, trying to hide her blushing face away, but she's sure by now, Kirumi's already caught on to how Maki feels in the situation.

"...You're not too bad looking yourself," Maki mutters quietly. She can hear Kirumi softly gasp before holding Maki more tightly. Warm… It's so warm for Maki, as though she and Kirumi were back under the sun at the park together on the bench. A moment of intimacy that was unfamiliar yet feels so natural to her.

But as the music is starting to quiet down, all that is left is the piano playing the echoes of the song, Maki pulls herself slightly away from Kirumi's embrace.

Sensing the other's movement, Kirumi looks down at the other, "Harukawa-san?"

Maki's eyes gloss over the way Kirumi says her name and it makes Maki want to melt back into Kirumi's warm embrace again.

Kirumi's face — Kirumi's lips — so close to Maki's own. And her need to be in that embrace again, it grows stronger and stronger with each second — each note of the song — each heartbeat in her chest.

"Toujo… could I…" Could she really? Is she even allowed to feel this way?

Kirumi's eyes look down to Maki's pursed lips and happily she slightly nods.

Maki takes that urge she's been holding without a single hesitation. Her head leans in closer, and she can see that Kirumi is leaning in closer, too, black eyelids shielding those cerulean green that Maki has come to adore so much. She can feel those black lips graze her own lips. So close to hers —

 _Slam._ A sound booms through the ballroom like a thunderclap. Suddenly the facade Maki has been caught up in falls into silence, as she recalls the area around her.

"What's going on?" Kirumi instantly pulls away from Maki, looking behind her towards the grand white entrance doors.

When Maki leans to the side to see past Kirumi's shoulders, she can see a male figure running towards them, frantically calling.

"Toujo-san! Please go! Run!" The male yells, still running to Kirumi.

"Saihara-san? What's going on?" Kirumi steps towards him, but immediately, the male harshly grabs Kirumi's shoulders.

Maki jolts at the sight but stops when he continues to yell — almost hysterically, "Toujo-san, there's no time! You have to run. Now!"

Another boom reverberates into the now silent ballroom. Then a scream. A cacophony of screams blending into one another.

With the increasing screams, people are rushing away from the scene in a hurry.

The three turn back to the door, and at the door, a large crowd of people march into the ballroom, all holding guns. They all pull the triggers and the gun roars as bullets fly.

The three are all frozen at the sight, but Shuuichi quickly turns back to Kirumi, pushing her back, "You have to go now!"

Kirumi hesitatingly steps back, but Maki knows what's happening. She has to take Kirumi out of here. She has to take Kirumi to some place hidden away from here.

Instantly, Maki grabs a hold of Kirumi and drags the other away from the door. Her mind is set on where she has to take Kirumi. Holding Kirumi's hand, the two make their way as quickly as they could towards one of the white columns. That's where one of the hidden doors of the building was.

People are running all around in a state of panic, screaming as the guns are firing into the crowd; the mesh of noise making it hard to focus. Soon, individuals begin to fall as their screams become silent. The ceramic floor now flooding with a deep red that Maki knows too well with deep bitterness — stained and tainted with blood.

Kirumi pulls back on Maki's hand. Maki frustratedly turns back, pulling Kirumi back towards her, "Toujo! What are you doing?"

"I cannot let my people die like this! I have to do something!" Kirumi cries loudly.

"There's nothing you _can_ do! Come on!" Maki forcefully pulls Kirumi back on the track they were fleeing on. "Security will deal with it! You have to live!"

Kirumi keeps her eyes on the scene as she gets further and further away from the dance floor. The lively people that were cheering moments ago are shrouded with fear and anxiety … or in death's gloom. It's enough to sicken her to the stomach, but she knows she must turn away for now.

People clear out of the area in a frenzy. Their path is getting clearer to reach the column and Maki sprints on, pulling Kirumi with all the strength she had.

But suddenly, in Maki's sight, she spots two men heading towards her and Kirumi. She stops in her path and reaches down to her leg. She pulls up her skirt everso slightly to reveal a knife sheath around her leg. Maki takes the small blade out of its holder and uses herself to block Kirumi.

The two men get closer, ready to grab for Kirumi, but something stops them. Nervously they pose, ready to defend, but one calls out under his mask, "M-Maki?"

"Harukawa? What the hell?"

Maki narrows her eyes at them, remaining in her position and blocking their path to Kirumi with her other arm.

"Come on. What are you doing?! Kill the prime minister already!" One of the men shout angrily.

Maki's eyes dart between the two. One of the men is slightly shorter than she is, while the other is about her height. She can easily dodge them without dealing any damage.

She grabs hold of Kirumi's hand once more. She rushes between the two men, both still dumbfounded by Maki's actions.

They scream at her to stop and they begin to fire their guns at her, but miraculously, Maki and Kirumi continue to run without a single one of the bullets grazing their skin.

Maki pulls Kirumi forward and flings Kirumi toward the column.

"Go, Toujo!" Maki shouts as she turns around to face the two men.

Kirumi calls back, "Harukawa-san?!"

"No! Just go! I'll be fine!" Maki rushes toward sthe two, ready to plunge that sharp knife in her hand into them. She immediately makes a beeline to the shorter male, but he blocks Maki with the side of his machine gun.

The male struggles to push Maki away, while Maki tries to pull the gun away from him.

"M-Maki?! What are you doing?!" He shouts, but Maki remains silent in all of this.

His failure to focus allows Maki to break the male's grasp on the gun. She takes it into her hand ready to shoot the male.

Until the taller male kicks her shin, knocking her onto the ground. Maki's grip on the gun remains strong.

"We thought you died! Why the hell are you with the enemy? Why are you with that _damned_ Ultimate?!" The taller male's low voice screams at her. He stomps towards her, aiming with his gun towards her head.

Maki pulls the gun from underneath her and aims at the male, instantly pulling the trigger and riddling the staunch male's body with bloody holes.

"No!" The shorter male screams. "Maki, why?!"

Cold. Maki feels cold, and her arms are shaking. No… her entire body is shaking. She hated this feeling — this feeling she knows far too well for her liking. But this isn't the time to feel this way.

"Just get out of here," Maki warns the male. "Just let us go."

"No! We are soldiers for the Regime! We're _supposed_ to kill those stupid pathetic Ultimates! _We_ should be in charge of _us_! Don't you want that?!" He continues to scream at the fallen assassin.

"But killing the Ultimates isn't the way! It never was!" Maki screams back.

The male scoffs, "You… They've got you brainwashed, don't they? Damnit, Maki... What will the Commander think of you now?"

"Shut up…"

"So weak…"

"Shut up."

"So stupid."

"Shut up!"

"You really should've just died before we found you here," The male shakes his head, a bitter lopsided grin grimacing his face.

"SHUT UP!" Maki screams, her hoarse voice louder than the guns firing around them. Her finger pulls back on the trigger.

But the bullet wounds she anticipated were nowhere on him, only a single stab wound through the man's chest. As the man falls, she sees a bloodied knife through his back.

Behind him stands Kirumi, staring coldly at the falling body.

"Toujo?" Maki calls out, but Kirumi doesn't respond. Kirumi only rushes to Maki. Maki quickly scours the area and finds her discarded knife close to her. She grabs it quickly before Kirumi forces Maki up with a single pull of Maki's arm.

They have to go. They have to go hide.

As the two run away, Maki looks back at her fallen former comrades and finds herself disgusted at the sight. But she pulls herself away from looking for too long.

She has to head to the column and back to that jail cell.

After going through several different corridors of the hidden maze in the building, Maki and Kirumi make it into the jail cell. As soon as the both of them enter, the two slump over and collapse on the ground. Maki takes a moment to catch her breath, her chest rising and falling quickly. It's been a while since she felt so… shaky and felt such a large adrenaline rush. Now that she's resting, she can feel that rush wearing her down. Her breathing slows down and with a final exhale, Maki turns to Kirumi.

There, she sees Kirumi leaning against the bars of the jail cell, still in her seat but her face twisted in agony.

Nervously, Maki reaches her hand out toward Kirumi's field of vision, "Toujo? Are you alright?"

The closer she got, the more she sees that Kirumi's eyes have darkened and have become wet with tears.

As soon as Kirumi's eyes meet Maki's, the maid is quick to brush her fingers across her eyes to dry them.

"Oh, Harukawa-san…"

"Are you… hurt?" Maki asks.

Kirumi shakes her head, keeping her head lowered, fingers rubbing against the veil that used to be around her shoulders. Her frail fingers forcefully rub and press against each other through the fabric.

"Hey, thanks for saving me earlier." Maki nods, trying to break through Kirumi's focus on the veil.

"It's nothing," The other replies emptily — no intonation to her voice as she said it, almost robotic in her sound than anything.

And Maki can feel why Kirumi would act this way. She scoots herself closer to Kirumi and gently rubs Kirumi's arms in attempts to comfort her, "You know it couldn't be helped…"

Kirumi shakes her head again, "I'm not quite sure if it _was_ inevitable…I could have done something. I could have done something to protect everyone. No one could have been harmed in all of this. And I killed someone…"

"But you saved me. I would have been dead because of him." Maki quietly denies, "And no one knew that they were going to attack us today…"

"Even so, I…" Kirumi begins to weep, quickly bringing her hand to her face to hide away. Between sobs, she speaks out, "I should have planned something and acted earlier than this."

"Toujo…It really couldn't be helped. You need a plan to figure this out. With a short span of time, there's no way you could win against the Regime." Maki mutters.

"So long as it kept everyone safe, then I do not care if I wither away. I'd rather die for my citizens than have them die for me." Kirumi grumbles under her breath.

"But they need their leader, Toujo. They need _you_." Maki reminds the other. She takes Kirumi's hand into hers and squeezes it tightly. " _You_ have to help them out of this situation, and I know that you can. That's why we need you."

"I'm not entirely sure if I'm proficient enough for this job anymore." Kirumi rubs her forehead.

"You are. You _absolutely_ are." Maki insists. "What you're doing now is good. It'll take time and I'll try to help you, but we'll get there, Toujo."

Kirumi doesn't respond though, only sobbing more than before, and something in Maki's chest pains her to see Kirumi — someone she's come to know as well composed — broken down like this.

But she finds herself unable to find the right words and it only leaves Maki feeling angry at herself.

So all she can do is hold Kirumi's hand in her own, squeeze it tightly, and let her know that she's here for Kirumi.

"You're fine as it is, Toujo… Don't worry…" Maki tries to assure once again.

In response, Kirumi squeezes Maki's hand in return, and quietly, she answers, "Thank you…"

Suddenly, the door of the room opens. The two immediately stand up, and Maki instantly blocks Kirumi, holding her knife toward the door.

But as soon as the figure steps inside, Maki lowers her knife.

"Toujo-san… Thank god," It's Shuuichi, the male that ran in before the bloody incident. "You're okay. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. If I knew before, I would have come sooner."

"It's alright, Saihara-san," Kirumi murmurs, wiping her face as she tries to recuperate from her crying. "What's going on outside? Did everyone leave unharmed?"

In an instant, Shuuichi's face twists in pain and remorse. Kirumi slowly shakes her head in disbelief, holding her hands to her face.

"I'm… so sorry, Toujo-san. It's all my fault this all happened. I should've—"

"Saihara-san, you did your best. For that, I am grateful," Kirumi assures. Shuuichi silently stares at Kirumi, appalled by her response.

Shuuichi continues, "Security tried their best, but… not everyone made it…But most people were able to escape when they counted."

"Alright…" Kirumi responds.

Sensing Kirumi's distraught, Maki decides to take hold of the conversation, "Saihara, how's the situation up there?"

"O-Oh, uh," Surprised by the other girl's suddenly speaking up, Shuuichi adjusts himself to look at Maki, "Everything's died down. The intruders all left. So, I'd say it's safe to leave from here. Security sent me to come get you as soon as they said everything is okay now."

Maki nods.

"I sense that you have something that you want to say," Kirumi speaks up.

Shuuichi nods quietly.

"Understood. Why don't you tell me, Saihara-san?" Kirumi asks, eyes narrowed towards the other.

"Let's get out of here first. And then we'll talk." Shuuichi advises, determination weighing in the words he speaks.

And to those words, Kirumi shall trust.


	9. Ch 8: Aftermath

"I'm sorry…" Shuuichi blurts out in the quiet room. He sits in a chair across from Kirumi in her office. The office are dimly lit by candles that Kirumi had to light up since the electrical lights failed to switch on. Shuuichi can only figure that the raid earlier had caused some sort of power outage.

Kirumi shakes her head toward the other, as she leans forward with her elbows on her desk, "Saihara-san, you do not have to apologize again. I have told you. It's not your fault. This is far out of your hands."

"Yeah, but I… still can't help but feeling like maybe… if I ran faster… or looked around more closely, then maybe more people would have been saved tonight." Shuuichi lowers his head, biting the inside of his cheeks. He takes a breath to calm himself down, but his shaky exhale only makes him feel worse.

With softened eyes, Kirumi lends out her hand toward Shuuichi from across the desk. Shuuichi's head peaks up a bit, his yellow eyes noticing the slender fingers. He stares at it for a second before he too brings his hand to hold hers. He can feel her squeeze his hand tightly, and as he looks toward Kirumi, he can see her eyes of assurance — of comfort — look back at him, and instantly, he feels his shoulders relax and his inhales and exhales have smoothened.

As he lets go of Kirumi's hand and the two withdraw back into their chairs, Shuuichi speaks up, "Well… I guess the most I can do is just provide the information I found in my time."

"Go on," Kirumi nods, folding her hands on top of her desk, "Any information you have gathered will be beneficial."

"Right," Shuuichi nods. He then reaches into his black coat and checks the different pockets until he produces a notebook that he quickly passes to Kirumi. Then he searches through his pockets again to produce his own notebook. Flipping the book open, he traces his fingers down the paper, eyes scanning his messily strewn handwriting. He turns a couple of pages, and his fingers trace down the page again. Then he finds the notes he was looking for. He nods again, but slowly this time, trying to comprehend what he noted down, pieces coming together in his head as he recalled his own experience in the base.

"When we met the last time, you handed me this notebook with all your notes from Harukawa-san," Shuuichi points to the notebook laying on her desk. "She talked about Choukai and the Regime. I decided to start with Choukai and looked more into the subunit that she was a part of, since that was the best lead I could get from the notes. It took some time, but I managed to figure out the hidden subunit. Turns out the subunit was a subunit solely created to assassins."

"But why bother with keeping it hidden?" Kirumi interrupts, "Especially when Harukawa-san was titled the Ultimate Assassin."

"That's what I thought as well," Shuuichi nods along with Kirumi's trail of logic, "So I dug into their files, and it looked like the creation of this hidden subunit correlates to this 'Regime' that Harukawa-san talked about. The subunit was created shortly after the Regime's establishment, and it seemed that the commanding officer of the subunit is also the leader of the Regime."

"Do you know anymore about the commanding officer?" Kirumi asks.

"Not exactly, no." Shuuichi admits, "But I did have to travel over to the base of the Regime. That's how I found out more about the Regime and about the reason behind the subunit's making. So I went to the base… and even just being there, I sort of understood everyone's stance…. Why everyone was there."

"Which was…?" Shuuichi's worried tone peaks Kirumi's own worries. She can feel in her legs a sense of uneasiness, but she must know why something as horrific as the shooting at the ball would even occur. Leaning toward Shuuichi, the maid crosses her arms on her desk, hands overlapping to hold her arms so she would stop herself from shaking.

Shuuichi lets out an exhale before responding, "As soon as I was there, I heard… a lot of people begin to talk nonsense about the Ultimates. I heard a lot of them trash talking Harukawa-san, saying that she was a good for nothing Ultimate for not doing her job, and how they're glad that she had killed herself and—"

Shuuichi stops himself from going further, noticing that Kirumi's hands had begin to clasp tightly around her arms, as though she was trying to break through her own arms with her hands.

"To-Toujo-san?" Shuuichi asks.

"It's nothing. Please continue, Saihara-san," Kirumi insists.

Nervously, Shuuichi clears his throat and continues, "Well, aside from Harukawa-san, they just continued to talk about Ultimates the same way. So I figured from there that the reason behind their plans is because of their hatred towards the Ultimates, but there _had_ to be a reason behind their hatred. So, I snooped around, overheard conversations, and from what I gathered there, they were saying things like 'We'll make the Ultimates pay for taking everything away from us,' or 'The Ultimates should be _our_ tools."

"'Our' tools?" Kirumi repeats, "Are you saying that they think we're using them?"

Shuuichi slowly nods. "They were saying how the life of an Ultimate is an easy one when society is wrapped around their fingers, ready to accommodate to all the Ultimates but never for those who lack the talent. That's why…" Shuuichi lowers his body, hunching over himself as he mumbles on, "That's why they want to get rid of us. Why they wanted to get rid of you."

How stupid did she feel in that moment… This revelation. To Kirumi, it was light. It was something so obvious but she failed to bat an eye at it. Something deep inside herself twists in pain at her ignorant self. Why wasn't she able to see this before? What _was_ she thinking in the first place when people began to attack the Ultimates in the first place?

But that revelation. It too churns an image in her head of a certain assassin's past — a girl — an Ultimate — who has to handle the furies and anger of the people that Kirumi was supposed to appease. The people who had to lash out their frustrations and anguish on this girl — beat her into _becoming_ an Ultimate just to be used as a tool.

All her fault. All her fault.

It repeats in her head.

"Toujo-san?"

"It's nothing." Kirumi pinches the bridge of her nose before letting out a long, dragged out sigh. Her head is starting to feel like it's been stabbed through, as her body is starting to ache. "Is there anything else?"

The male shakes his head, "Everything else just consisted of raiding the party yesterday." His shoulders droop once more, "I'm so sorry I didn't come any sooner."

"No, it's quite alright. You did what you had to do, Saihara-san, and for that, I'm always grateful." Kirumi raises her hand gently before folding her hands again on her desk, "And you're sure that's all the plans they had?"

"Well, that's as far as they had planned," Shuuichi scratches his cheek, "The rest doesn't seem to have set dates, but —"

"But?" The female raises a brow.

"The rest of their plans just seem to be 'attempt to raid' and 'kill the prime minister.' No set dates, but they just want to overthrow you so they can have control." Shuuichi flips through his notes to check for any remaining notes he may have missed, but soon, he reaches the end of his notebook and closes it. "And that's all I gathered. Sorry about the dates… and sorry—"

"Saihara-san, there's no need to apologize. You did all that you could." Kirumi gives him a comforting small smile, and gradually, Shuuichi's tense shoulders relax.

Shuuichi nods and gets up from his seat, placing the notebook back into his coat's pocket. As he steps away from the chair and walks back toward the door, he says, "Don't worry. I'll still try to search for my information in the meantime. Just… be careful, okay?"

"I will. You know me well enough to know that I will be careful," Kirumi reminds the other, "And… you be careful, too, alright?" She's starting to notice her tone lowering and she's starting to feel regret at her incapability to control herself.

But it goes unnoticed by the other, Shuuichi only nodding back at her and saying a farewell before exiting.

When he exits, Kirumi waits for the door to close shut with a click before she feels her back slouch and her hands begin to run through her hair. She lets out an exasperated breath, as her eyes begin to wander throughout the room.

Ultimates using the rest of the citizen population. Not pleasing the rest of the citizen population. How ridiculous of her to not notice sooner. Why couldn't she see her own faults before: that she was failing her task — her purpose? Why didn't she notice her citizens crying and yelling about the inequality?

And who is she to be the one to push them down?

She only just wanted to please the common good, and yet, all she has done is hurt them by not fixing these issues any sooner.

And now…

Kirumi forces her hand against her mouth. She shakes her head. No, she cannot allow herself to cry here. What good would crying do? What she _needs_ to do is fix this issue, but how?

Slamming her desk with her hands, she stands. Head lowered, she tries to fight the tears, trying to keep her mind on the task at hand. Yes, she needs to figure out the plan to combat this issue. She has to. To please the ones she serves. She has to. To make up for her mistakes.

But her thoughts are cut short in that moment by the click of the door opening. She turns her back towards the door, leaning against her desk and wiping her eyes first so the person entering wouldn't see.

"Hey, Toujo," Kirumi figured that it was Maki who entered the room. The maid spins around to see Maki, and she could see from Maki's strides that the other seems to be frustrated... or perhaps angry.

"Harukawa-san, what's the matter?" Kirumi asks.

"I heard everything," Maki speaks slowly and almost quietly. How odd, to Kirumi, that the other would act so brashly but speak in such a fashion.

"I see," Kirumi responds briefly, "And… what do you think of this situation, Harukawa-san? I'd like to see what your thoughts are on this."

"That's funny because I was about to ask you the same," Maki admits, remaining still in front of Kirumi's desk.

"How about I hear your opinion first? It will probably help me construct a better opinion," Kirumi insists.

"A better opinion?" Maki questions, "What do you mean by 'better'?"

The maid falls silent at the question, and it only makes the hairs on Maki's arms stand. Something cold fills her stomach and twists it around.

Immediately, Maki gets up and walks around the desk to be by Kirumi's side. Kirumi doesn't turn her chair to see Maki, but Maki puts her hand on the the gray-haired woman's shoulder, thumb rubbing against the other's shoulder blade in comfort.

Kirumi looks up to Maki, but slowly brings her head back down in silence.

"I think I know what's going through your mind," Maki softens her voice, "And, Toujo, I know you're blaming yourself right now."

The other stiffens under Maki's touch. Just as Maki expected.

"You know this isn't your fault, don't you?" Maki assures, "All that's happened. You weren't in control of it."

"But I was." Kirumi coldly responds.

"What makes you say that?" Maki protrudes.

"The role I'm in — as prime minister," Kirumi states, "Is it not my task to serve all of my citizens? Is it not my role to see to all my citizens' needs?"

"Yeah, but —"

"So, aren't I failing them? They were relying on me, and I failed to listen…" Kirumi reasons, voice wavering. She slumps in her chair, face buried in her hands, "Aren't I such a fool to dare call myself the prime minister for not doing such a simple task?"

"Toujo…" Maki calls out.

"What _was_ I thinking, believing that everyone was happy? Was I so selfish to believe that?" Kirumi shakes her head, in denial of herself.

"Toujo, listen," Maki spins the chair so Kirumi would look at her. Then, Maki kneels down before Kirumi and looks up to Kirumi's sobbing face, "It's hard. It's hard to be able to listen to every single person and try to make them happy. Especially with something like this. You're in a big role, and of course, it's going to be hard, but you still have time to fix it."

"But the party…"

"What's done is done," Maki says, "I know that's hard to take in, but the best that we can do now — to make up for what's already happened — is try to work on what's happening now so something like this won't happen."

With pursed lips, Kirumi takes in Maki's words, letting it sink in, but they fall under the reverberation of the party memories; of all her people screaming and crying, of them falling on the ground cold, and of her running away instead of helping.

But those echoes silence at the assassin's grasp of her hands. Kirumi looks down to her hands to see her pale fingers enlaced with the other's pale fingers.

"We'll work on it together, okay?" Maki assures. "You don't have to burden yourself with all of this. I know you want to. That's how you usually are, but we already promised that we're going to help each other. You've already helped me so much, so let me help you, okay?"

Silently, Kirumi lets go of Maki's hand and lets her fingers move up Maki's arm. Then, Kirumi gets off her chair and embraces Maki tightly, burying her face into the crook of Maki's neck. She could feel a large urge to cry overwhelm her, but all that comes out is a whimper.

In a quiet voice, she whispers, "Thank you, Harukawa-san…"

With those words, Maki tenses, feeling the other's breath against her neck, but slowly she relaxes again and wraps her arms around Kirumi's figure as well. She holds on tightly, hoping that her genuine words would reach the maid, and with the tighten hold from the other, Maki knows that her words did.

"Just… don't do anything stupid, okay?" The assassin runs her hands through the strands of gray hair. "We'll figure something out."

A slight nod of Kirumi's head and the two let go of each other, both of each other's arms still laying on top of each other as they back away from one another.

"So… what are you going to do, Toujo?" Maki asks.

Kirumi shakes her head, "I still have to determine the best course of action, but I fear that we will have to act soon."

"Just do what you think is best, alright?" Maki pushes herself up from the floor. She gives out a hand to Kirumi to use to get herself up. When the two are standing, Maki checks the clock that hangs above the doorway. "Well, it's about time to get some food. Should we go?"

"In a moment," Kirumi replies, "I shall meet you at the dining hall. I have something I need to attend to, but I will gladly accompany you to lunch."

Maki nods, heading towards the door on her own. Before she exits, she assures one more time, under her breath, "Things will be alright, Toujo."

And with that, the door closes, leaving the prime minister on her own in her office.

Kirumi leans against her desk, staring at the ceiling. In her mind, she toys with Maki's assuring words, replaying them in her head, but as they replay, she can't help but let out a sigh.

To rely on Maki. She knows that she can, and she is glad that there is someone she can rely on, but she wonders if this situation is beyond both Maki and her.

The words of her citizens and the images of the party set back into the front of her mind, and all she can do is let out her thoughts in a lost voice:

"What should I do?"


	10. Ch 9: Faltering Plans

She usually isn't like this. In fact, she would usually be in the completely opposite composure. Her capabilities to sit up properly and focus on her surroundings have suddenly switched to the differing notion, back arched over the table as she spaces out for an extraneously long amount of time.

Kirumi knows full well why she is acting in the way that she is; why it is that she is not able to focus on the situation as well as she usually would, or why she is not taking as much care to the way she sits. Only one worry has been rushing through her mind, repeating frequently in circles — questions being asked, but never answered: Why? What can she do for her people to subside their anger and frustration? As the questions repeat, they slowly turn into imagery; imagery of the people she's met in her town asking these questions, loudly repeating to her, pleading for her to do _something_.

Why?

What can she do for her people?

What must she do to please them?

And as she stares at each one of their faces, they all erupt into a sticky deep red and drop on the floor, so too tainting the floor in the same deep red that they drown in.

Just like at the ball.

No. She cannot blame herself like this. What's done is done, and she can only do what she can now to avoid the same situation.

Still, Kirumi ponders on it for too long. The image of the lively people she used to greet during her strolls into town now cold on the floor. The person she had stabbed that night. All of this was her fault… And she has to carry that weight with her.

And Kirumi wonders if what she has in mind will finally settle all of this. To stop the bleeding and to stop them from screaming.

Kirumi winces at a touch to her shoulder. She sits up with her back straight and blinks for a moment to adjust to her surroundings, and the smell of something cooking and the relatively long table covered in plates before her tells her that she is in the dining hall.

She looks over at her shoulder to what touched her only to see a pale hand brush by before retracting. She follows where the hand goes and sees its owner, Maki, standing up from her seat to lean and touch Kirumi's shoulder, but upon Kirumi's gaze, Maki sits back down, staring at the maid with her nose scrunched up and eyes narrowed.

"Something's bugging you, Toujou." Maki crosses her arms and leans back in her chair. The way she raises her head — Kirumi knows the other expects an answer.

"Why is that?" Kirumi attempts to dodge the question.

Maki points down to her plate, suggesting for Kirumi to look down on her own. When Kirumi does so, she sees her fork puncturing her napkin. Dumbfounded, she raises her fork with the stabbed napkin before laying it down on the table with a heavy and tired sigh.

"And not to mention…" Maki continues her observation, "Your clothes."

"My clothing?" Surprised at what Maki points out, Kirumi scoots her chair out and stands to look at her outfit.

Oh. The gown. Her silky sleeping gown. It was still on her. And she was wearing her high heels along with them.

Kirumi rubs her forehead with her fingertips before trying to reclaim her composure, sitting back down and returning her seat to its original position.

"I suppose my sleep was not very adequate last night."

One of Maki's eyebrows raises and her lips give a slight pout. "You sure about that?"

Kirumi falls silent at the other's expression, knowing what Maki was expecting of her but unsure of how to structure her words… or rather how to _choose_ her words.

Then she hears a sigh from the other as Maki speaks again, "You're still thinking about yesterday, aren't you?"

"I can't help but always think about it." Kirumi shakes her head sadly. "I understand that I should be thinking about the best course of action, and I should take the time I need to plan accordingly… But I worry if more lives will be lost."

Maki stretches her arm over to touch Kirumi's own arm, the warmth touch is all that Kirumi focuses on at the moment, "Look, things will be okay. I don't think they would want to go through the trouble of killing more. They wouldn't have a purpose."

"That is true… Yes." Kirumi nods, processing Maki's words.

"You sound like you have something else on your mind," Maki hints.

"Sharp as ever, Harukawa-san," Kirumi closes her eyes.

"Well? What is it?"

Kirumi shifts in her seat, "I… believe I may have determined the best course of action."

"That's it? That's great, but what is it?"

"I.." Kirumi trails off once again, and Maki can't help but worry.

The former assassin places a hand on the maid's arm, "It's not… something stupid, is it?"

"No, no," Kirumi stifles a chuckle, keeping her eyes low, "I wonder if you may consider it idiotic, but generally, I believe it's ideal."

"Still haven't explained what it is," Maki leans back into her chair, arms crossed.

"I thought about it overnight, and even in the morning, it seemed like the right choice." Kirumi nods with her own words, "If the problem resides in the voices of the people without talent not being heard, then the best course of action is to listen. Thus, a conversation will suffice. Perhaps we can establish someone in the government who would be able to represent what they want, and the person and I can work together to relieve any tensions between the Ultimates and others. Otherwise, I believe that the best I can do is to step down from my position and let someone who will stand for both the Ultimates and everyone else to lead everyone — something I have failed to do. "

But Kirumi looks over to Maki and sees her eyes squinting and nose scrunching up. Maki looks away and Kirumi can sense the boiling irritation from the other.

"I understand that it will be difficult—"

"Yeah, it will be difficult. You really think that the Commander would want to even listen?" Maki raises her voice. "She doesn't care whatever happens to the Ultimates! She'll just gladly take your place, and she _cannot_ be in that position."

"I am only suggesting that as a last resort plan if she refuses to converse." Kirumi clarifies.

"Okay, and your first plan is what? Talk to her? I don't think so," Maki shakes her head, "She'll take any chance to push you into giving up your role immediately. And I'm pretty sure she'll try to kill you as soon as she sees you."

"I understand, but this is the only possible way that I can hold a discussion regarding what the people want and come to a consensus together." The maid points out, voice sharpening to Maki's ears. It's grating.

"Okay but what if she _doesn't_ want to listen to you?" Maki raises, "What if it really does come down to the last resort? Do you really want to give yourself up like that?"

"If that is the only way to put an end to the hunt, then I shall step down."

Those words. They're all the more grating to Maki's ears, and it's like no matter how much she tries to fight the aggravation of the other's refusal, the feelings bubble up to the surface again with full force. She takes a deep breath trying to stop herself from trying to talk more; all the words she wants to say would only combust the conversation all the more.

But Maki keeps imagining the way this will play out; it's far too vivid and clear in her mind: Kirumi choosing to go through with her final plan and step down; telling that to the Commander; seeing the Commander smirk, taking the job without hesitation before pulling out a gun on Kirumi. Then all of that ending in shades in red.

No, she cannot let that happen to Kirumi.

"But it's not like I am voluntarily seeking death. My first plan, of course, is to try and talk to solve matters."

"This is stupid, Toujou. I don't know _what_ you're thinking, but I can tell you that it's never going to play out nicely with the Commander. She only wants your head and that's what she'll take if you go." Maki blurts out.

"Well, I cannot think of another plan that will suit this matter. This is the only peaceful way of trying to solve this, and I do not want anymore people to die. So if my death can solve this situation, then it is my death they shall have." Kirumi protests.

"Toujou!" Maki yells, "We still need you here. We still need you as a leader to handle this. Your death won't solve anything; more people are just going to get hurt under the Commander's rule."

"But I cannot stand seeing more people die now!" Kirumi yells back.

"Do you really want to die that bad?!" Maki cries out. "The Commander is ruthless. You, on the other hand, haven't _literally_ been killing people off! The Commander actively seeks for the death of every Ultimate!"  
"My ability to not do anything right now is just as bad, Harukawa!" Kirumi retorts, "Sitting here and letting her continue with that. I am just as bad!"

"No you're not!" Maki slams her hand against the table, "This is completely different! You aren't the one stabbing and killing people! You're _trying_ to save them all! And your work is going to waste if you're just giving yourself up like that!"

"Enough, Harukawa!" Kirumi stands up from her seat, "This is the only plan that I can think of, and it's better for the common good. I have no choice but to follow through."

"We can think of something—"

"No. This is it. This is my plan, and I shall follow through with it."

"You can't!"  
"Why not?"

"You're going to die!"

"That doesn't matter!"

"It _does_ matter!" Maki slams the table once again, and with that, Kirumi closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before glaring back at Maki. A cold glare enough for Maki to freeze in place. A cold glare she is not used to seeing at all. Kirumi's eyes completely void of warmth, now icy daggers that threaten her.

"Enough is enough, Harukawa. Talking any further will result in just repeating ourselves. Let's stop." Kirumi steps away from her chair and pushes it in.

Maki clenches her fists and bites down on her lips. She can feel her body's tension rising as it begins to shake, and she hated that it's shaking at that moment. She wants to stop herself, but her body is running on autopilot and she's getting even more annoyed at herself.

She looks over at Kirumi one more time, the maid still giving her the cold glares that insists to stop, and immediately, Maki turns on her heels and silently heads towards the exit of the dining hall. Each of her steps seem heavy and her body seems to want to restrain her from walking more, each cell screaming for her to retort back at the maid.

But she still carries herself out the door. There's no point in fighting anymore. There's no point in running in circles within the argument. Maki knows that's just the way Kirumi is — stubborn in her decisions.

Even so, Maki can't stand the plan that Kirumi thought of. What even possessed the maid to believe it was a good idea? Did the maid even _listen_ to Maki, or was all the information — everything Maki told to Kirumi — completely useless?

She slams the door of her room shut before plunging herself into the comforts of the bed. Her body feels like it's burning, and she just wants to smother herself into the sheets and muffle a scream.

Maki has to do something. Her body aches, yearning for her to run and grab Kirumi, trying to plead with her to stop all her plans.

But everytime that scenario plays out in her head, she could only see lowered, sorrowful jaded green eyes and an apologetic smile. The imaginary look is enough to send Maki crying in a fit of rage.

No. She had to do something.

Kirumi is way too stubborn to try anything else.

The only resolve Maki can find is if she interferes with the plan some way to stop the meeting from occurring.

Yes. A plan. She has to think of a plan. To stop Kirumi's horrible plan from playing out. To protect Kirumi from her own stupidity.

And Maki had to plan it soon. She knows how quickly Kirumi works.


	11. Ch 10: Backup Plans

Maki's been repeating the plan in her head all night long. She repeats it all so she knows by heart what she must do it. It's what she has to do.

She spent the night burying her head into a pillow, trying to force herself to not scream; the events beforehand of cold glares and unhearing arguments were weighing down on her. She hated that she would think of those piercing green eyes under the silver hair. She hated the determination in that woman's face, cutting their argument off and refusing to listen to her. She hated it all.

If that will be Kirumi's only resolve, then this shall be Maki's own resolve. Maki has to do this. Otherwise, the one person who deserves better will be hurt.

The night air feels cold against Maki's cheeks; she can feel goosebumps spread on her skin and her hairs stand at the wind's presence… or perhaps they stand because of the way her body shakes at the rush she feels, now that she has begun her plan.

And she keeps walking through the night towards the place she has to go. A part of her hates that she can even remember the way back. It's like her feet had a mind of her own and chose to tread down this path once again, and her eyes just want to shut it out from her sight — to imagine that this was just some awful nightmare or flashback that she was having.

She feels this urgency even more so when Maki stops herself before the steel walls that surround the large facility. She remembers the way she cowered seeing the walls tower over her the first time she entered the facility. There are barbed wires coiled like snakes all across the top of the walls, blocking intruders from coming in (or perhaps, stopping anyone weak from trying to escape), and there lies the spikes at the top of the gated doorway. Almost instantly, Maki feels like a cage trapped her lungs and heart from moving, frozen there by that old fear. It looks and feels too much like a prison for her, and she wouldn't dare want to return after breathing in the fresh air after so long. Her mind begins to sink at the thought of the walls enclosing around her.

Then, Maki closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, clenches her fists and lets go before letting her feet carry her into a stride, beginning her run around the building. In her mind, she's figured out her course of action, with the whole blueprint of the building memorized in her head.

She runs and stops when she reaches the side of the enclosing walls. Her red eyes scan the wall carefully for a sign of any cracks, turning to her left then slowly making her way to the right. The more she searches, eyes desperately searching each part of the wall to make she did not miss it, the more Maki feels worry that it isn't where it's supposed to be.

But when her eyes fall to the right side, she notices it: a thin black line that runs until the end of the wall. Maki hurries towards it and uses her hand to trace over the black line, reaching over her to touch it, moving her hand along its crack to the right and then following it down. As soon as her hand is at the level of her chest, Maki presses against the wall and the wall pushes inward. Then carefully, she grabs hold of the found door and slides it to the side before entering, making it past the wall.

She slides the hidden door back in place before turning around and feeling that encased feeling consume her once more, seeing the steel building even closer to her than before.

This is no time for her to be scared. Maki shakes her head, trying to brush her worries aside. She has to do this, she repeats in her head. She has to.

Then, quietly she runs on her toes to the back of the building, checking both sides of her to make sure someone doesn't see her. Maki stops herself to listen carefully for footsteps around her again, not a sound is heard from outside. The only sounds she can hear are coming from inside the facility, and they all sound like someone shouting orders or groups of people marching.

To her left, Maki spots the door and makes her way to it. Carefully she pulls the door open, peeking her head around the edge of the door to see or hear if there is anyone around, but there is no sign. All the sounds are distant from her current position. She slips herself into the building with ease.

The inside is just as mucky as she can remember; rusty orange borders every patch of the walls inside, and the weak lighting only stresses the rust all the more. The air is heavy with dust, the smell of sweat, and the distant screams: a factory of sorts, left to its own work to create its soldiers.

Steadily, Maki makes her way through the faintly lit hallway. She eyes a clock hanging from above: 2 AM. Her branch's schedule would be finishing up practice at the moment. That must mean the screams she heard must have been the officer training her group.

Maki turns away from the hanging clock and towards the source of the diminishing yells. So quickly, Maki runs down the corridor to the source, but as soon as she enters the corridor, she stops herself. She couldn't just rush immediately into the training room: that would only lead to her pointless demise. Even if she gets the person she's targeting, there would be several other people in the room that could try and attack her. It's a battle between many and one. She couldn't take that risk.

She pulls herself back to the end of the corridor and steps to the side, back against the wall. She claws her way to the back of her mind, trying to recall the rest of her group's schedule. Shower and bed. That's basically all there was left.

But Maki has no purpose to visit the showers nor the bed. If anything, those are the places she must avoid if she doesn't want to get caught.

Her plans are beginning to become more cohesive in her mind. She knows what she needs to do, and the plan seems vaguely familiar — a fairly recent plan that she has now exploited — manipulated for her own — no, for another's sake.

Maki walks down the corridor she currently is in, down to a barely lit area of the floor. Getting closer and closer to that dark area feels like something is crushing Maki's lungs, squeezing her throat and making her suffocate; the smog-like air doesn't help either.

This is no time to back down though. She has to quickly get there, station herself discreetly in the office before she is noticed.

Maki reaches for the door at the very end of the hall, holding the door knob and giving it a twist, only to find it unlocked to her surprise. How easily she is able to turn the knob and push the door in; it sets a bad feeling in her stomach. Her target would not be this careless; was her target expecting her?

No. There is no way that her target would know; still, the fact that she left it unlocked for anyone to enter is concerning.

But is there any way besides this way?

Maki puts an ear to the door but doesn't detect a sound from the other side. She steps away, holding the doorknob and giving it a twist before entering the room cautiously.

She hated being here. She still hates being here. Every step she would take in this room sends shocks to her body, her mind flooding with the memories associated to this place that only render her weak.

Cautiously, Maki stations herself in the corner of the room behind a shelf. Her breathing is fast, but she slows it down with deep breaths. In. Out. She cannot let herself fail this and give herself away so easily.

So she sits still, without letting out another word — without letting out a breath that could possibly give her position away — without a single movement that could possibly make a sound, waiting for her prey to come forth.

Then her world falls silent, even the air is still around her as though it too awaits for the anticipated moment. The room completely frozen as it is, as everything beyond it continues to clunk and shout.

And suddenly the world hits play at the sound of a clicking at the door, and Maki cowers back into her corner, ensuring that the shelf is completely covering her, holding her breath as the target walks in.

Past the shelf, Maki can see the other: the hat that she would wear in every practice session, the uniform that every high commanding officer would wear, the short brown hair tied back under the cap. When the other walks forward, she can see her more clearly and just a single look at the other's face Maki tense. The scar that spans across her face. Maki hated seeing that again; her arm begins to prickle at the sight. However, her eyes — those sharp icy blue eyes — those are what sends Maki shaking.

She hates those eyes. She hates that scar. She hates that person with every fiber of her being, and she hates that despite her great loathing of the woman, Maki can only shake.

Stop. Stop! Maki yells at her body, but it wouldn't listen. Her body keeps shaking in its position, and she pulls herself away from the shelf to stop it from shaking with her.

But as soon as her body moves, Maki can see the piercing blue look in her direction. Her prey stops and keeps looking her way, but her target soon purses her lips and turns back to her desk, casually walking over and taking a seat.

For a moment, Maki watches the officer, making sure she doesn't go anywhere else, but from watching her, she can feel her muscles loosen. It's just like watching any other person — not some monster that she had believed made up that being. She watches as the person reviews files on her table, nodding in understanding for the content.

Just like anybody else. Maki relaxes almost at once at the thought alone.

It is time: the time to strike.

Soon, her feet cut through the air rapidly. No sounds come from her steps, and it strikes joy in her heart as she gets closer. And closer. Eyes completely set on the target. The target doesn't move at all, as though Maki is merely rushing to a portrait. This is it. This is her time.

With one hand, Maki grabs her knife and the other she reaches for her prey, and it is like she can feel her blood pumping through her body; her heart beating loudly in her ears in anticipation to get her. Get her. Get her!

She raises the knife high above her head with a burning fire in her eyes. Soon. She keeps telling herself. Soon, she can finally breathe. Soon, she can forget all of this and there will be peace finally.

But her wishes are diminished too quickly.

Her target — she turns in her chair and the target's icy blue eyes lock with Maki's fire-like eyes. Already Maki can feel herself freeze up once again.

No. No! Maki screams at herself.

In the corner of her eye, she can see it. A mischievous smile. The mischievous smile she hates so much — ingrained into her memories of this place.

She tries to jump away from the prey, trying to get better ground, but the prey forcibly grabs hold of her neck.

Tight. The target holds tightly as Maki attempts to kick the target away, but she misses and the target simply chuckles at Maki's failure.

Then Maki swings her arm — with the knife in her hand to hit the side of the person, but the person throws Maki to the wall before that happens. Maki gasps at the blow against her back, losing her breath.

Her head against the wall — Maki feels dizzy at the impact. She struggles to force herself back up, trying to push her arm down on the ground to push herself up, but her imbalance makes her fall down once again.

She hates it. She hates this again.

Maki tries to push herself off the ground once more, but she freezes as she gets up by the sound of a belting laughter.

Widened eyes, Maki quickly looks back up, only to see the person rush against her and push her down on the ground, and Maki couldn't move at all, being pinned down.

She hates this. She hates her.

Another chuckle from the person.

"Oh, what's the matter, Harukawa? Did you come back to give me more scars?" Simple words that leave a venomous taste to Maki. The growl in the other's voice as it speaks so casually.

Maki refuses to respond, struggling more to get up, but the person tightens her grip on Maki's neck and hits Maki's head on the ground.

"What's wrong? Don't want to greet your commanding officer." That mischievous smile again. Maki hates it.

"Like hell I would, Commander," Maki glares back, but she couldn't speak any further as her words choke for air.

"Aw, since when did you become so disobedient?" The Commander adjusts herself over Maki. "You used to be such a good soldier, and now look at you: failing to complete the mission and crawling back to make do with your Commander. Just what were you thinking?"

No response from Maki. She could barely make sense of the situation at the moment.

The Commander chuckles once again, "And what? Were you too scared to even bother offing yourself?" The Commander clicks her tongue in disgust, "I had to send so many people just to clean up your stupid mess, you know. It's a shame, really. We could have been done with one kill, but you made us kill much more than expected."

"Shut up…" Maki grumbles with the little air she has.

"Oh?" The Commander raises a brow and smiles, "But am I wrong? If it weren't for you screwing up your mission, we wouldn't have attacked at the party! If anything, it's like you killed them yourself."

"Shut up!" Maki yells back. She tries to squirm under the Commander, trying to get herself out, but to no avail.

"Your new character is annoying," The Commander rolls her eyes and hits Maki's head against the ground. A gasp from Maki at the impact. "Why don't you go back to being the damn good soldier you were and off yourself like you were supposed to for failing?"

Silence as Maki tries to adjust again to her surroundings.

"You know, I never had much faith in you as a soldier, Harukawa. From the moment I assigned you this mission, I knew full well you were probably going to fail anyways. I was almost elated that you would possibly get rid of yourself! Perhaps you did have a chance at killing that damned prime minister. But no. I hear that the prime minister is well and alive. No word from you in days and I thought you really did kill yourself! So we stormed in at the party, and what do my soldiers tell me?"

The Commander grinds the palms of her hands into Maki's shoulders, causing Maki to wince.

"That the supposed-to-be-dead soldier is protecting the prime minister?" The Commander lets out another laugh. "Oh, Harukawa, you are the worst soldier ever. Worst assassin ever. How on earth did you even get that damned title?" She shakes her head.

"So why did you do it, Harukawa? Why keep the prime minister and get in our way, huh? Don't you know what good it would do for so many people?"

"This… isn't the way to do it." Maki finally speaks up. "This won't help the Normies get what they want! Killing the prime minister is only just going to bring more chaos!"

"Is that so?" The Commander speaks, void of any emotion. "But at least we Normies can actually talk. We can finally have control and get what we need when all we get are the crumbs left behind by you Ultimates!"

"But killing?!" Maki screams.

"What's with you, Harukawa? You were so gungho about doing this plan before."

"Because I didn't want to die!" Maki yells.

"Ah, ah, so you're being selfish. Is that it? Don't want to throw your life away to save the rest of us?" The Commander jeers before shaking her head, "How stupid. You know this is the only way to stop this, don't you? Or could it be…"

The Commander leans down, head hovering right above Maki's. Maki turns away from the Commander as she can feel that horrible grin from the Commander through the small space between them.

"Did you become fond of the prime minister during your time away, Harukawa?"

Maki squirms again, raising her torso enough to hit her head harshly against the Commander and send the Commander off of her.

Maki stands up as the Commander stumbles back onto her feet.

"It's a shame your energy was merely used to be defiant. It would have been so helpful with the rest of our plans," The Commander shakes her head. "But it seems that I was right: you are fond of the prime minister."

"Only to protect her from you." Maki hisses.

"Then how about this then?" The Commander reaches into her holster and produces a pistol, aiming right at Maki, "Then you and Toujou-san can both rot in hell together!"

And the Commander pulls the trigger, but instantly, Maki squats down and rushes toward the Commander with her knife still in hand. When she's close enough, Maki kicks the gun out of the Commander's hand and kicks the Commander with her heel.

The Commander stumbles to the side, but she squats and hits Maki's shins, making Maki yelp and fall.

Maki hurries to get up, but the Commander steps on her stomach harshly. Maki tries to swing the arm with a knife yet again at the Commander's leg and she stabs straight through the boot of the Commander.

The Commander screams loudly and falls back. Maki gets up, trying to catch her breath. She walks towards the fallen officer, towering over the lying figure, ready to end this job.

But the Commander is quick to take the knife out of her leg.

Maki knows what to do next, but her feet fail her to move. And immediately, there's a sharp pain in her leg.

Maki lets out a scream and falls over. Collapsed on the ground, Maki looks at her shin, covered in oozing blood and tries to grab for it.

"Stupid fucking girl," The Commander growls overhead of Maki. "You're so stupid! You think you can go against me?! I'm your commander! You learned all you knew about fighting from me! I know all your stupid tricks!"

The Commander kneels next to Maki's figure, and in a low tone, she whispers to Maki, "You'll never win this, Harukawa. Never. You'll put so much effort into nothing, and you'll see."

Tears are beginning to billow from Maki's eyes and she hates it.

"Well, this is goodbye, Harukawa. But don't worry: Toujou will meet you soon, too." Then the Commander raises the knife.

But the knife never comes down. Maki pushes herself up and runs out of the room as quickly as she can.

Her icy blue eyes still remain on the door that her old soldier left through and she cannot help but smirk.

"What a foolish girl."

She should have been used to lugging herself around by now after every injury she dealt with before, but dragging her feet across town is certainly harder on her than she imagined. Maki's even surprised that she has managed to get this far, putting small amounts of pressure against the stab wound in her leg as she moves.

But despite every nerve surrounding that wound screaming for her to cease movement, Maki somehow finds herself back at the government building. She just has to hurry in and find a first aid kit, which isn't too hard when the staff tends to be very cautious about the wellbeing of their leader.

After entering the building and trudging around in search for some first aid kits, Maki realizes that the blood is starting to seep out and leave a long, winding trail on the carpeted floor. Her only hope is that someone would clean it before a certain someone else notices.

It's none of her concern right now, anyways. She just needs to get this stupid wound fixed before the other notices.

Immediately, Maki goes to the employee check-in room as that is the first room nearby, and searches the cabinet that hangs high on the wall. She pushes the offices supplies within the cabinet to the side to search further in, but no luck. She then takes to searching the office table's drawers and as soon as she pulls out the drawer, Maki sees the red case for the first aid kit and takes it out.

As she begins to open the case, Maki slowly sits herself down on the black rolling chair, groaning lowly the more she lowers herself. She turns the chair and puts the first aid kit on the table, looking carefully at the supplies: saline, bandages, some antibiotics, and others.

Good. This should suffice. Maki looks over her wound, thumb rubbing the area surrounding it in thought.

So she grabs the small bottle of saline and the cotton pads from the kit. After unscrewing the cap, she pours a bit of the saline on the cotton pad before putting down the bottle.

She folds the cotton pad and pulls up her skirt to look at the injury. The blood is still fresh against her pale thigh, the thick liquid oozing out from the wound.

She always hates bandaging herself up because of this part. Maki brings the wet cotton pad closer to the wound, lightly brushing the skin before dabbing the wound with more pressure, making Maki wince and moan at the stinging, but it's what she has to do to fix herself up before the morning comes. Already, through the window, she can see dim rays beginning to seep into the sky to mark morning is near.

"Harukawa-san, you're...hurt." Oh, not now. This is the reason why she wanted to patch herself up before morning.

"Go away, Toujou," Maki turns the chair away from the door, still attending to her wounds, praying that the other would just leave her be, but she knows better. She already knows the way the other would act.

The figure walks and hovers over Maki before kneeling down to examine the injury, and Maki cannot do anything but let the other look it over.

Then Kirumi stretches her hand out and curls her fingers, gesturing for Maki to hand over the cotton pad. Maki refrains, quietly shaking her head, as she tries to clean her wound again. However, Kirumi's cold glares force Maki to give the cotton pad to Kirumi.

So quietly the two stay there, Kirumi cleaning the wound carefully as Maki winces ever so often. Usually Maki doesn't mind the quietness, but all she feels is the urge to get away from the situation. The awkwardness is starting to her up; maybe not awkwardness, but embarrassment — humiliation, as though she should say sorry in the situation. What good would apologies do in this situation though? What purpose? She couldn't find her headings in the situation and it's making her sick.

"Will you explain what happened?" Kirumi starts. Of course she would ask that question. Maki wants to avoid it, but what more does she expect when she comes back injured badly?

"...My knife slipped out and I thought I was putting it back but I missed," Maki manages to mutter, and immediately, Kirumi raises a brow and stops cleaning the wound.

"Really now? I don't believe that for a second," Kirumi shakes her head, going back to cleaning the wounds. She presses down on the skin and it makes Maki wince. Maki could have sworn the other did it on purpose, but as soon as Maki groans, Kirumi pulls the cloth back.

"What's the real reason, Harukawa-san?" Kirumi asks again. "I would hate to believe that you may have done something silly out of sheer stubbornness."

But Maki's lowered head makes Kirumi want to take back her words.

Kirumi's arm drops back to her side, "...Don't be serious, Harukawa-san. What did you do?"

Maki just shakes her head, and it only makes Kirumi's temper burn slightly.

"Were you that mad that you went off trying to resolve things on your own? Is that what you did?" Maki can hear the low anger burning in Kirumi's tone. She's too afraid to see Kirumi's face — humiliated, really.

"Harukawa-san, do you really think trying to do it on your own will actually work?" Kirumi shakes her head before putting down the cotton pad and getting the antibiotic cream.

"I don't want to start this up again," Maki grumbles, "We're only just going to go in circles again, Toujou. It's a waste of time."

"So you—"

"Enough. I don't want to talk about it," Maki squints, rubbing her forehead.

But Kirumi can tell it bothered Maki when Maki's leg tenses under the tip of her finger.

As Kirumi continues to apply the cream on Maki's leg, she speaks up, "But really? Do you realize how idiotic that was of you to try to go about this on your own? What on earth were you thinking?"

"What do you think was I thinking, huh, Toujou?" Maki retorts. "Did you really want me to just accept the possibility of you dying because of her?"

"But who was the one who got hurt from all this, hm?" Kirumi argues back.

"For the chance of protecting you!" Maki stands up in defense. Kirumi stands to look Maki directly in the eye, but as soon as those jade green eyes land on Maki, Maki is quick to turn her head.

"But you got hurt, Harukawa-san! You didn't have a plan for this! You merely ran into the base without another thought! How impulsive can you be?"

"Impulsive?!" Maki cries loudly, "I wasn't impulsive! I thought this stupid plan out just fine and I was so close."

"And what happened? You got a knife in your leg, and you were too scared!"

That's when Maki shuts her mouth. Scared. She was scared and it was apparent. How stupid of her. She should have known that she was too weak for this. She should have known she would freeze: in every moment when she thinks about the Commander; in every moment when she remembers her training; in all the moments where she was groveling in her blood and sweat, pleading in her mind to make it stop only for her body to be shoved even more past its limits. Yes, her mere problem lies in her overestimating herself, and she won't get any better.

Stupid fucking girl!

And that's when tears spill from her eyes. Her lips tremble at first sight of the tears when she places her finger below her eyes and sees them.

"Harukawa… san." She hears the other coo, but Maki is too busy trying to wipe her tears. She has to stop it. She isn't scared. She's not scared. Not scared. Not scared.

But everytime she repeats it in her head, the more her lips tremble and the more tears flow from her eyes. Maki just keeps wiping her eyes.

Maki sits back down slowly. With a quiver in her tone, Maki mutters, "If you're done, just leave me be, Toujou."

Kirumi grabs the roll of bandage and begins to wrap it around the wound quietly.

"...Harukawa-san, it'll be alright. We'll solve this, and you do not have to face her anymore."

Such simple words and yet —

"You don't get it at all!" Maki bursts into tears, yelling into her hands.

"Tell me what I don't get." Kirumi looks up coldly at Maki.

"It's because —!"

Because I am actually afraid.

"I'm —!"

Because I had thought I lost my reason to live but…

"Because I'm scared of losing you, Toujou!" Maki screams.

"I'm scared that she'll kill you, okay?! Is that wrong?" She cries. "You don't even realize how much you matter to me! I used to hate living every single day! I didn't even care if I did die back then. It'd save me from dealing with Choukai! I was just some damn tool! But you — You made me realize I was more! How is it that you can make me realize that when you yourself cannot recognize that, Toujou?! Why?!"

In an instant, the room goes quiet, even Maki's sobs become overswept by the silence as the air grows still.

All she wants is to run away. Maki hates it. She hates admitting it. She hates the way her body is shaking again, overwhelmed by this new found fear.

But she didn't know that she would hate Kirumi taking back her hand from her leg even more after she sputtered her nonsense.

Kirumi stands up from kneeling down, and Maki watches her carefully, watching the other stare down at her from above. She watches how Kirumi comes closer to her, leaning down towards her.

Until Maki feels the other's soft lips on her forehead. Until Maki can feel arms wrapping around her. Hand holding the back of her head. A tight embrace.

At the crook of Maki's neck, Kirumi whispers, "I'm sorry, Harukawa-san."

No. Don't say that. Those words — this embrace — she horridly longs for this but not like this. Not when it would only make Maki cry even harder.

And soon the pair of lips that she felt on her forehead came in contant with her own lips, and she cries all the more. She wishes she could simply enjoy it, but believing this feeling that she wishes to linger may disappear soon, Maki just keeps crying.

"You know you mean a lot to me as well, Harukawa-san," Kirumi whispers more. "I know… it's hypocritical of me to tell you to think of yourself more. To treat you as an equal when I allow myself to be casted aside. Even so, I want you to know that you also helped me with my own feelings. I often feared showing it and expressing it solely because I found no reason and I believe it would only get in the way, but… seeing you become strong enough to realize you are more than what the Commander tells you… It made me want to grow in the way you've set for me. So thank you."

Kirumi's hand cups Maki's cheek and her thumb rubs it gently.

Maki holds Kirumi's hand against her cheek, "So… why then? Why mst you let yourself be thrown away like that?"

Kirumi smiles sadly, "Because I want to take that risk for the sake of everyone, including you."

Maki shakes her head quietly, hanging on tightly to Kirumi's hand.

And again, Kirumi brings her face closer to Maki, and they share another kiss, this one lingering and more endearing than the last. Maki greatly yeans for this, wishing that this momet wouldn't end because she knows when it does, she'll have to meet reality.

But they stop and Kirumi embraces Maki again tightly.

In a quiet voice, Kirumi speaks into the crook of Maki's neck, "So let me take this risk. It's the only thing I can do. Please, Harukawa-san."

Maki keeps her head low against Kirumi's shoulders. After some time, Kirumi can feel Maki's head move into a nod against her shoulders and Kiumi holds Maki tightly.

"Thank you, Harukawa-san."

Maki lets go of Kirumi and wipes her tears with her arm, "Don't thank me. You're the one putting yourself at risk here. So I should thank you."

"I'm glad you're alright," Kirumi smiles sweetly. How long has it been since Maki has seen the other smile like that? Too long, she deems. She misses the small smile the other would have. Cute and very much like Kirumi.

Kirumi chuckles lightly, "I suppose the whole "working together" did not work as well as we wanted, didn't it?"

Maki attempts to chuckle back, "I guess not… Sorry, Toujou."

"No. It's alright, Harukawa-san," Kirumi touches Maki's bandaged legs, "I'm just glad you came back not too hurt."

"No. No, I just got scared that… I don't know. Just going back is scary. And attempting conversation with that woman? A scarier thought." Maki admits.

Kirumi puts a hand on Maki's shoulder, "Whatever the case, we've learned better to cooperate with each other now, yes?"

"Yeah," Maki nods, her hand meeting Kirumi's hand on her shoulder. "'Cause I'll have your back in all of this."

"As I will have yours," Kirumi kisses Maki's cheek. She runs her hand down Maki's arm, "Now, shall we go to bed and actually sleep? No more sneaking out, alright?"

"No worries, Toujou. I think I've had enough wounds to for the day," Maki smiles lopsidedly.

Then the two happily walk together to catch up on the sleep they've missed for the night, both filled with a new strength: a new bond between the two that will help pull forward and work together.


	12. Ch 11: Final Confrontation

Maki didn't realize she would be standing here so soon. She knows the conviction within Kirumi is far too strong to resist against, but to think that Kirumi would be acting so quickly is a little beyond Maki's thinking.

It took about two days for Kirumi to set up a meeting with the Commander; the issues mainly relying on waiting for the other's emails and clarifying the purpose of the meeting. However, Kirumi pushed through the rough emails and finally the Commander agreed for a meeting. Hearing this only made Maki more concerned and worried, thinking about the Commander's sudden change of heart, but Kirumi assured her that the sooner they meet to clear the confusion away, the better. All Maki could do was simply comply. That wouldn't stop her uneasiness though.

Even so, the two came prepared for what they're about to face. As soon as morning came, Maki suggested for Kirumi to call for security to stand by as backup in case anything goes wrong, and with some surprise, Kirumi followed through, calling Shuichi for backup. It at least put Maki's mind to rest, knowing that it finally felt like they were working together unlike before, where they would merely go back and forth with their arguments of being a martyr and trying to survive.

They stand now outside of the base. The crisp air weighs heavy on their tense shoulders, as they look up to the spiked gateway Maki saw the other day. Kirumi and Maki stand together, awaiting for the gate to open for their arrival. They already told the soldiers who stood guard their reason for visiting; they are just waiting for the soldiers to inform the Commander so they can get the approval to let them in.

Maki's red eyes gingerly gloss over every detail of the gate. What lies beyond this gate will paint the future for this society, good and bad. She fears to even step through it, scared that with all that she had faced long ago, the future that is to come will be tainted.

She cannot allow herself to think that way, though. She has to enter this area with her head held high so she can stand her ground.

Still, her clenched fists shake against her thigh and she hates it.

But she feels a touch on her shoulder and her body instantly relaxes. Maki reaches up to her shoulder to feel for Kirumi's hand and holds onto it gently.

"Are you scared?" Kirumi asks her in concern.

"I should be the one asking _you_ that," Maki faintly smiles. "Since…"

"I might die?"

There's those words. Maki would rather not hear it from Kirumi. _Especially_ Kirumi. It only makes it sound like Kirumi is giving up, and she hates even the thought of it; thinking of it making her insides burn.

Hesitating, Maki nods her head slightly.

"I can't help it. Sorry, Toujou," Maki sighs in frustration.

But Kirumi shakes her head, before pulling her hand away from Maki, "I understand. But it's alright. I'm afraid as well."

"As you should be," Maki points out, "That'd be way too inhuman of you if you _weren't_ afraid of death."

And despite the tense situation, Kirumi stifles out a laugh, and while it puzzles Maki, in the moment it makes the air feel more relaxed.

"Of course," Kirumi smiles, "But we must stay strong together through this situation. I only know that we will be able to pull through so long as we work together."

" _Actually_ work together," Maki stresses, eying Kirumi, "So no more of the whole 'sacrifice yourself for the other' option, got it?"

"Certainly. Because what good would it be if our partners are dead?"

Maki nods before giving way to a small laugh.

Standing in the crisp air, laughing like this, Maki doesn't feel as afraid anymore, thanks to Kirumi. Together, they stand looking towards their uncertain future, laughing at whatever may come their way. To her, it feels like laughing at Death's face and succeeding already, and she loved it.

Maki reaches down for Kirumi's hands and squeezes it tightly. She can feel the other's thin hand squeeze back in comfort. Maki looks back up at Kirumi and they both nod at each other in assurance.

"Shall we face this together?" Kirumi asks, a curl in her lips.

"Let's do it," Maki nods, squeezing Kirumi's hand again.

Maki doesn't know how the situation will go down, but at least, with the hand that she holds, perhaps the dread that she fears will be blinded and wither away from the light that they can create.

From the towers that stand on either side of the gate, a soldier yells out for them, "The Commander has given the approval of your entry."

Then, the doors begin to slowly open inward, little by little revealing the path to the building inside. There's a thud when the doors finish opening completely.

"You may enter," The soldier announces.

Maki looks over to Kirumi as Kirumi does the same.

"Let's go then," Maki says, and Kirumi just nods her head before the two walk in together towards the towering building.

As they get closer, Maki notices a figure standing right at the entrance, hands folded behind their back.

"Funny to see you again, Harukawa," The Commander sneers. Then she looks over to Kirumi, looking up and down the woman, "Prime Minister."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance," Kirumi bows her head towards the Commander.

"The pleasure's mine," The Commander crosses her arms before scoffing, "Wow, who would've thought that you were not so standoffish like those other Ultimates, huh? But I guess then again, look at Harukawa here, huh?"

The Commander jabs Maki, as though they were friends, but Maki shrinks away from the Commander.

The Commander narrows her eyes and smiles mischievously before turning back to Kirumi, "All the more surprised you'd want to even meet me, hm? And talk. You must have some nerves to think about talking. But no matter, let's talk inside, shall we?"

And the Commander turns on her heels before leading them into the base, and they follow along, with their backup following them.

As they keep walking through the faintly lit hallways of the base, Maki keeps her eye on Kirumi. Despite the poor lighting, she can see the wrinkles in Kirumi's face — her thinking face. But the twists in Kirumi's face makes it seem like Kirumi could be terrified. Maki knows why she herself is terrified, and she knows why Kirumi would be, but it pains her to think that the strong Kirumi Toujou could possibly feel fear and is slipping up on her front.

It's a dumb impulsive choice. Perhaps she shouldn't have done it, but Maki knows she had to reach out for the other — to tell the other that it'll be okay. She holds Kirumi's hand as they keep walking.

Knocking back into reality, Kirumi looks down at their hands and rubs her thumb against the back of Maki's hand, and Maki can only interpret this as gratitude from the other before the other lets go of Maki's hand and Maki lets go of Kirumi's.

Then they arrive at the Commander's office — the place Maki could have ended all of this two days ago.

The Commander unlocks the door and opens it. She gestures at Maki and Kirumi, "Please. This way."

Kirumi walks in first, and Maki walks in after her. Already, Maki sees a decent amount of soldiers in the room, standing stoically behind the Commander's desk. When Maki and Kirumi turn back, the Commander halts their backup, "Ahh…No. You stay here and wait."

"You can't! We have to be there to protect the Prime Minister!" One of Kirumi's guards yells, but the Commander waves her hand.

"Oh don't worry. I'll play nicely. I promise," The Commander jokes before turning around, entering her office and closing the door behind her. She looks up to Maki and Kirumi before walking to her desk, "So, to what do I owe the honor of your visit? I'm sure Harukawa here told you just how nice it'd be coming to visit, but I hardly think this is a place for a honeymoon, hm?"

"As I said over our messaging, I wanted to discuss a plan that would be beneficial for both the Ultimates and the common people, if possible." Kirumi starts. "I realize that after the events at the ball, that I was treating you all quite poorly under my rule, and I want to correct that."

"'Correct it,' you say? How curious," The Commander sits down in her chair promptly, making the chair rock backwards a bit. "And how is it that you want to correct this mistake, dear Prime Minister Toujou?"

"Without conflict, I hope," Kirumi admits, "I believe that the best choice to make is to create a role in which the common people are best represented in a place of power alongside me. I would not be able to speak well for them myself, given my skill, but I believe perhaps you can be that person to take that position."

"Ahh, I see," The Commander rests her head in her hand. "So, you came to ask me for a role in power to speak up for the common people, hm?"

"That is my greatest desire, yes," Kirumi nods. "That way we can be sure that everyone gets what they want and at least come to a consensus between the Ultimates and normal people."

"How amazing! A consensus! The Ultimates and the normies working together hand in hand. Restoring the peace and working alongside the Prime Minister?" The Commander speaks in awe, a twinkle in her eyes as she imagines the scenario, and there's something light in Kirumi's chest after seeing the Commander respond in the way, but something is irking her that something isn't right, and she can tell by the scrunched up nose of her partner.

"Then we can work together and everyone will be so happy!" The Commander keeps speaking so happily about it that Kirumi wants to believe it.

But she knows better thanks to Maki.

The Commander begins to cackle loudly, taking her hat off and wiping her forehead.

As she puts her hat back in, the Commander scoffs, "Who knew that the Prime Minister had a sense of humor? Why, I thought from all the speeches you just got a stick up your ass."

Then the Commander leans over her table, peering through squinted eyes at both Kirumi and Maki, "But you know how stupid your actions are, don't you? Coming here and asking me that? Don't you know? Working together and all that. We've tried that already."

"Tried that already? Since when?" Maki retorts.

"That was the whole point of this society," The Commander shrugs before leaning back in her seat, "Living in peace with the Ultimates. Everyone was happy to do that, but they were all so stupid to not realize what would have …. What will happen.

"When we became a society to pick out the Ultimates that would create our future, every one of the citizens happily gave their all to the Ultimates so that the Ultimates would lead everyone. They would stop themselves in worry that they'll only get in the way of the Ultimates when only _they_ mattered to society. Every single resource that could have been given to everyone in the city was immediately given to a single person entitled to the name 'Ultimate.' But the citizens didn't mind. They didn't mind a goddamn bit because it'd only be a waste giving it to talentless folks.

"So, what are these citizens left to do? Become tools for the Ultimates, in hopes to get a taste of what being an Ultimate would feel like. To make themselves useful for the Ultimates so they can feel wanted. To abandon what they really want to achieve and bend backwards so blindly to a small amount of people. It's pathetic and stupid!" The Commander yells.

And the explanation only leaves the three in utter silence.

To Kirumi, the words have created a sense of empathy for her. She knows of how it seems that the common people had become tools for the Ultimates, but understanding more about their sense of worthlessness makes her hurt more. She never wanted that for her citizens.

"And now what? An Ultimate was given power so easily. Without working for it when so many other people with a better mind could've been a whole lot more qualified?" The Commander shakes her head, "What more proof do you need to show that my resolve holds true?"

"None," Kirumi responds.

"Toujou," Maki reaches towards Kirumi, but Kirumi shakes her head towards Maki, making Maki pull back.

"All that you say are true," Kirumi continues, "I do understand now. An Ultimate has the easiest path in society, and with a blind eye, others will be left behind without any support. We are trapped in a society where only the best talented are appraised and can survive."

"Noooow you get it," The Commander proudly speaks, "I'm honored you understand my words."

"However, you say that this did not work in the past," Kirumi begins again, "Living together may not have worked in the past, but we can work to make living and coinciding with one another more endurable for both the Ultimates and the common people. We can change what happened to society and work to find a way to alleviate the tension between both of them."

"And what? Sweep all that's happened to so many people _because_ of the Ultimates' existence?" The Commander sneers back, "So many people have just given up on hope and refused to do anything. All they feel is a sense of hopelessness, accepting themselves as just cogs in this system, settling for less instead of striving for more. Just to be a tool for you Ultimates. No. No way in hell will I actually do what you say! No way in hell will I be your damned tool! Not anymore! No one of us will be your stupid tools anymore!"

"Commander, please —"

"No!" The Commander stops Kirumi, "We won't fall to you, damned Ultimates! No. We normies will take back the power our stupid old prime minister gave up so easily and we shall create a new society where we shall use the Ultimates, and _they_ shall become _our_ tools!"

The Commander then sighs and relaxes herself. She clears her throat and closes her eyes before looking back at Maki with her cold blue eyes, "Just like you, Harukawa. You will be the perfect model for what Ultimates should be, whereas your girlfriend here."

The Commander gestures over to Kirumi, "She'll be the perfect model for those Ultimates who fail to falter! Come on, Miss Prime Minister, what do you say?"

"Don't do it, Toujou," Maki warns her, grabbing onto Kirumi's arms and taking a step back towards the door. "Forget it, Commander. We're done trying to work with you. Come on, Toujou. We're leaving." But when she looks back at the door, guards stand in her way.

"If you're done, then allow me to try my own tactic," The Commander stands slowly. She points to Kirumi and Maki, "Alright, soldiers, take them down."

"W-Wait, Commander," One of the soldiers raises their hand. The Commander turns behind her to see the male. The male that Maki remembers from the night at the ball. An old comrade. She can still remember how angry the male was that night, cursing to kill Maki for what she had done.

"What is it, soldier? Hurry it up." The Commander taps her foot in annoyance.

"I just… thought Toujou's idea was a good idea." He says, "See, I met Harukawa when we raided the ball. And she was telling me how this isn't the way to do it…"

The Commander laughs, "So what? You believe her now?"

"Well, I didn't believe her at first. I thought she was just stupid for betraying us, but I started talking to some people and… they began to agree. And I did too. The role that Toujou suggests. It's exactly what we all wanted."

"You what?" The Commander scoffs, "And who is it that you talked to about this?"

But he doesn't answer.

That's when she grabs from the back of his head and slams him against her desk.

"Who did you talk to?! Who agreed with him?! Which one of you?!" The Commander yells, but the soldiers all cower back from responding.

"You're all damn idiots! How could you waver so easily?!" The Commander screams before turning back to the male. "And how dare you fall to someone like a traitorous bitch?! You call yourself a Regime soldier?!"

"Stop it!" Maki yells, trying to run to the desk, but the Commander pulls out her gun and points it to Maki.

"One more step and you can say goodbye to Saito here." The Commander threatens. It goes silent, everyone unsure what to do under the tense situation, but the Commander yells loudly, "And what did I tell you stupid soldiers to do?! Get that minddrone and the prime minister!"

Immediately the soldiers begin to rush towards Kirumi and Maki. Maki tries to hit them off, struggling against the grips. She yells for them to let go of her but her words seem to have been drowned out too easily.

She couldn't let this happen. How can it end like this?

"Commander," In the tense situation, Kirumi's voice rings out, "I do have another plan that I would like to offer to you."

"No, your other plan was way too dumb." The Commander scowls, "And _you're_ the prime minister?"

"What if I'm not?" Kirumi quickly asks.

Stunned, the Commander raises a brow, "What are you talking about?"

"What if I am no longer the prime minister?" Kirumi bitterly asks, "What if I...gave up my role to you instead? You won't have to try and appease both. You can do as you like. Restore justice in society the way you would like to."

A smile. A mischievous smile creeps onto the Commander's face. Amused, she lets go of the soldier, the soldier quickly scurrying to the side. Putting the gun back in her holster, she sits back down and crosses her legs, "Oh? Giving up your place? What about your beloved Ultimates? You'd want to give them up too?"

"Even you say the Ultimates are a minority in this society," Kirumi explains, "If that is the case, your actions are benefiting the majority of our society — a large population I refrained from helping. You being in power means your actions will be for the common good. So I would not mind giving you my position as prime minister. However."

"Of course there's a condition," The Commander rolls her eyes.

"So long as the hunting of Ultimates stop. Then, peace will be restored and society will be happier." Kirumi states.

The other just laughs, and she keeps laughing loudly at the other. "Oh, that's so good! Now you understand exactly what I want! You really are worthy of your Ultimate title if you know this much!"

Then the Commander crosses her arms and smiles, "Me. Prime Minister. Heh, is that what being an Ultimate is like? To hold that much power and have control over anything you want? It's not so bad.

"But don't worry," The Commander smiles, "I'll be much better about it than you ever were, Toujou. I'll make it so we normies don't have to act as pedestals anymore for your grubby feet. I will change society to change the roles!

"So, fine. I'll take you up on your offer now," The Commander puts up her index finger, "On one occasion: you become a little prisoner."

"What?! Why?!" Maki cries.

"Shut up, Harukawa. Can't you see I'm making a deal here?" The Commander clicks her tongue in disappointment. "Toujou, you can be my little prisoner and you can serve as the little model for what the Ultimates shall do for us!"

"Don't use her! Use me! That's what you wanted to do anyways, isn't it, Commander?" Maki struggles against the bodyguard that holds her, but she only squirms in the tight grip.

"Well yeah, if I were using force to take the role," The Commander leans her head to the side, "But I'm being handed the role on a silver platter! I have to get what I can out of this offer and squeeze out every opportunity I find. Toujou here would be a _much_ better model than you. After all, more people know Toujou than they do the 'Ultimate Assassin." Oh wait, I mean the 'former Ultimate Assassin."

The word only mildly stings Maki and she shakes her head, "Toujou, please don't do it."

"Do as you will, Commander. I will heed to your request," Kirumi bows her head.

"Toujou!" Maki yells. It's then that Maki struggles once again against the arms of the guard. She then slams the back of her head against the chin of the bodyguard, staggering the guard backwards before she tries to jump the desk and slam into the Commander.

But more hands find their way to Maki and slam her to the ground. In her fall she screams for them to stop so she can stop this blind idiot from doing any damage.

"Let go of me!" She continues to scream against the guards.

"I'm sorry… Harukawa, I tried." Saito apologizes. "It's just orders."

"Don't you get it?! You already fucked up once joining her. Joining and listening to her without using your head will only make you fuck up the entire society!"

"Sorry. Sorry." The male keeps apologizing, as he continues to press Maki down against the ground.

"Aww, what's this? Little Maki is throwing a tantrum?" The Commander walks over to where Maki is. She squats down to Maki. "You know that's a big no-no by now, don't you? So why don't you ever learn?" She shakes her head.

"Harukawa-san, please," Kirumi pleads.

"No! What happened with working together out of this situation?" Maki yells from the ground, trying to turn her head up to look Kirumi. "We were supposed to work together in the situation!"

"Aw, so sad your plans were all ruined." The Commander coos, "You sure you guys are a couple?"

Maki pleads with Kirumi again with her red eyes. Tears are beginning to peak out of her eyes, but Kirumi just quietly turns away from Maki back to the desk, as the Commander returns to the desk.

"You do know that if you had just followed the original plan and killed her, we wouldn't have been in this situation right?" The Commander sighs. "Perhaps I should have broken you down more. Instead you just let your feelings get the best of you and went off to fall in love with your target. How sad. Really, if only you were a better tool and just listened. Now, go handcuff Toujou and take her away." She points to one of the soldiers.

The soldier blindly follows and Maki continues to kick herself out of the grasp as she watches the soldier tie up Kirumi's hands and begin to drag her away.

No. She can't let this happen.

She can't.

She just.

Can't.

Maki lets out a piercing scream and kicks herself away from the guard. Instantly, she jumps over the desk and jumps onto the Commander, sending both her and the chair to the ground.

The Commander lets out a gasp upon impact to the ground. She opens her eyes and sees Maki towering over her, her red eyes completely focused on the Commander, as Maki brings both of her hands to the Commander's neck and squeezes.

"Harukawa-san!" Kirumi cries, but Maki doesn't care enough to stop. She just keeps squeezing and squeezing. The more she squeezes, the more she can hear the Commander struggling for a gasp — a breath of air. So close. Give in. Give up.

But the Commander will never give up. And what the Commander does strikes fear into Maki's heart.

From the corner of her eye, Maki can see it. A smile still. A malevolent grin as the Commander grabs hold of Maki's wrist and begins to push it away. Maki still tries as hard as she can to push down against the Commander's neck, but the two struggle against each other's strength.

"Oh you poor little shit." The Commander coughs, "Can't believe even a tool like you would fall to feelings! And you thought you can protect your loved one? I think I might even cry!"

"Shut up."

But that exploits her weakness. Maki's hands waver and the Commander feels in her grasp. The Commander pulls Maki's hand upwards to make her fall to the side.

Immediately, the Commander stands up and Maki turns back to the Commander.

"And you expected me to be super sensitive to you now that you have feelings right?" The Commander shrugs, "Not in the way I raised you, dear. You're just a mere soldier for me to use in my schemes. You're nothing. Everything you do is nothing."

Maki lowers her head trying to shake the statements out of her head. That's not right. She knows this, but...

With hands behind her back, the Commander smiles, "I wonder what can I do to cease all your feelings, hm? What kind of punishment I should give you for betraying us after all this time?"

The Commander takes out her gun again.

"Well, I think we're done talking aren't we?"

No. Don't say that.

A click of the gun.

"And now that I'm the new prime minister. I think it's time I put my plan into action!"

No. No no.

"What do you say, Kirumi Toujou? Want to help me with that now?"

Pointing the barrel of the gun.

This cannot be the way it ends.

"Goodbye, Toujou."

"NO!"

A boom in the room.

It leaves a ringing in her ears and reverberates loudly throughout.


	13. Ch 12: Resolve

" _Goodbye, Toujou."_

" _NO!"_

 _A boom in the room._

 _It leaves a ringing in her ears and reverberates loudly throughout._

The firing of the gun is all she seemed to focus on in that very moment. The sound of the bullet leaving the barrel at rapid speed is what she wanted to avoid. The target of that gunpoint is what she wanted to protect.

That's all it took.

The image of that scene with all else being blocked from viewpoint by blinding white light: the pointing of the gun, the look at the victim's face. Just like targeting her prey in her missions.

Maki breathes heavily from sprinting. How she manages to get where she did in a nick of time is an unknown to her. In that very moment, she stands, about to cripple under the pain in her shoulder blade. She looks down to the kneeling figure that too looks back at her. Under those beautiful bangs of silver, Maki can see how Kirumi's green eyes widen in shock — fear or awe.

"Haru…kawa-san…" Kirumi manages out Maki's name, and Maki just grants Kirumi a small smile to tell her that she's alright. Kirumi doesn't flinch at the sight though, only overwhelmed by awe at Maki's stance against the visible pain.

Without giving Kirumi another sign, Maki turns around to look back at the one who held the gun, who merely scoffs at Maki.

"Don't you see how your feelings are only going to destroy you, you tool?"

"Commander!" Maki yells at the top of her lung.

At the shout, she sees something that she wouldn't expect of the Commander: she shifted back _slightly_.

The Commander purses her lips and smiles venomously, "So, you're going against me now, huh? When I'm the new prime minister?"

"Shut up!" Maki retorts, stomping the ground, "Nothing says you're prime minister just yet!"

"And yet, you're going to go against me? Your old commander?"

"When you treat people the way you do?" In defiance, Maki threateningly points her knife at the Commander. "Absolutely."

"God, you are so stupid," The Commander just shakes her head and mutters to herself. She turns back to Maki and gestures, "Did you not learn anything from all those years of teaching you? _Drilling_ the lessons into your mind until you recite it perfectly back to me?"

"All I learned from you is how horrible you are!" Maki yells back, "The things you did to me. The torture I had to deal with. All of it was so pointless! And for what? To break our minds so we can be your goddamn tool!"

"You're a soldier, aren't you? You listen to your commander. It's just part of the job."

"I never wanted that! I never wanted to be a soldier! I just wanted to live my life!" Maki repeats again, "I never wanted to be a soldier, and I never in hell wanted to be a goddamn tool to someone like you!"

"But you would have been a tool to create a better world! A world where we normies can actually shine! A world where _we_ aren't the ones that are tools! Where the Ultimates live to serve us! A greater cause!" The Commander spreads her arms out with a big smile on her face. "You would have been a sacrifice to many for a better life!"

Maki shakes her head abruptly at the Commander's words before raising her voice, "You don't get it at all! That's not the way to do things!"

"And what? Talking it out will somehow work?"

"It will!" Maki yells, "You're just far too blind to realize that it will! Because I believe in Toujou's work! She can make it work."

"But she's supposed to serve _us_!" The Commander gestures back to herself, her words are sharp to the sound.

"No!" Maki slams her foot again against the floor. "You really don't get it! What you want is to make a tool out of everyone! And… no human is a tool to anyone! I learned that!"

"Oh, from her?" The Commander points to Kirumi, who is slowly raising herself to stand behind Maki.

"If it weren't for Toujou, I wouldn't have remembered what it meant to live! I forgot what it meant to live, not as a soldier, not as a tool, but as me! She taught me the world isn't as cold as I once thought under you! She taught me… that no one deserves to be a tool… that they all deserve love. To do the things they love and do what they want!" Maki cries out before announcing, keeping her blade pointed towards the Commander, "No one is a tool for each other!"

As Maki remains standing there, she feels a hand — that gentle hand she loves to hold and feel — against her uninjured shoulder. She keeps her eyes front at the Commander, but she can feel Kirumi hold her empty hand firmly. They tighten their grips against each other, standing together with so much more strength than each individual could hold on their own. Standing side by side. As equals.

"There is no use for being tools to each other anymore!" Kirumi continues Maki's argument. "Let's set aside our differences and work together for a peaceful society."

And with determination burning in the irises of their eyes, Maki and Kirumi stand against the Commander. And from them, the air grows still.

The other stares at them, appalled by their arguments, taking it in… but—

 _Snort._

 _Chuckle._

A rambunctious laughter floods the still air, and the two grow confused at the reaction.

The Commander bends over, takes off her hat and runs a hand through her hair as she continues to laugh loudly.

Unable to read the air, the two stand completely puzzled as they watch the Commander continue chortling.

Soon enough, the Commander's laugh begins to die down and she puts her hat back on before cocking her head up to look at the two.

"Are you kidding me? Are you _really really_ kidding me right now?" She tries to repeat through each little laugh that seeps into her speech.

"No." Maki responds promptly.

"You _have_ to be!" The Commander keeps her head down and stares at the floor, "Who were you two kidding? Coming in here, acting all strong because you have each other, and thinking that everyone will just fall everso easily to your dumb, pathetic dream."

"It's not dumb. It _will_ happen," Kirumi declares.

"Oh shut it," The Commander rolls her head back up to look at Maki, "You can keep playing make-believe or whatever. Considering that you are fairly young to be prime minister, guess you wouldn't have known that it's always been like this. Always had it so that society would just fall into the hands of the Ultimates. People have been raised on it for so long — even you both. So you think you can change a person's mind that easily?"

"No. It won't be that easy, but we have to keep trying," Maki says, "We will no longer serve as tools for one another. We will all work together!"

"No. No," The Commander turns her head back down. Her left hand reaches behind her and she flicks her wrist to the side to reveal a baton. "It won't be that easy. If it were that easy, then things would be solved already!"

"But brute force won't make it any better!"

"I refuse! I refuse to believe it will be that easy!" The Commander keeps repeating, beginning a stride towards the two before it turns into a sprint, "I refuse to believe it will be that easy!"

She keeps running towards Kirumi and Maki, both standing in defense against the Commander, as the Commander raises her baton and tries to swing it against Maki. Maki dodges easily and attempts to make a kick at the Commander. The Commander flies upon the impact. Kirumi attempts to pin down the Commander, and the Commander punches Kirumi in the face before hurrying back up and trying to attack Kirumi once again. Maki makes a grab for the Commander's leg to stop her, and the Commander tries to swing the baton against Maki before Kirumi tackles the Commander out of Maki's hold. The two struggle for the Commander's baton, Kirumi gripping the Commander's wrist tighter and tighter to make the Commander let it go, but the Commander keeps it strong in her grip. The Commander then kicks Kirumi in the shin, making Kirumi bend down instinctively before the Commander tries to hit Kirumi with the baton, but Maki wouldn't let her. Maki makes a grab for the Commander's wrist and tries to do what Kirumi did, but her strength is not enough to pin the Commander.

The Commander hastily shoves Maki off, but Maki brings her knife straight into the Commander's shoulder, blood penetrating the Commander's uniform almost instantly.

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!" The Commander lets out a bloodcurdling scream and lets go of her baton. She stumbles backwards, gripping onto the bloody region tightly as though to stop the bleeding. She huffs heavily in fury towards the attackers.

Kirumi hurries to Maki's side and shoves the Commander on the ground and pins her down with more force. The Commander struggles under it, but the pain stops her from trying.

Maki looks down at the dropped baton and slowly reaches down for it before looking at the pinned woman, and that's when something clicks in her mind, like lights switching on.

Those icy blue eyes that she used to fear from the cold glares. No longer did they make her freeze. No, in fact, for the first time in the longest time, Maki feels… free. Strong. She isn't afraid anymore. Not when a pair of green eyes look at her with assurance — strength that she needed. Just that is enough to power her against the eyes she now challenges. The eyes that are merely crazed with power, blinded and desperate for the goal they yearn to see.

"Soldiers! What are you doing just standing there?! Get them!" The Commander orders, darting her eyes to any soldier she can lay her eyes on, but no one moves upon hearing that command. Her blue eyes that used to be like ice give way to tears as she screeches, "Move! Damn it!"

"Just give up already," Maki starts, but the Commander keeps trying to struggle under Kirumi.

"No, never," The Commander refuses, "You won't accomplish anything with your stupid plan. You won't… make everyone happy. You'll only make them suffer."

"You're wrong." Maki says, "Your plan would have made things worse. We'll put an end to this fight together."

"You'll see…You'll see when everyone doesn't listen to you…Then you will know that you should have listened to me."

"No." Maki takes a step closer to the Commander's lying figure. "I know. I know I won't regret making this decision with Toujou. I believe in Toujou, and I will gladly listen and help her side by side. And you? You're no longer my commander. I won't listen to you anymore."

The pinned down woman growls under Kirumi's hold and struggles again. And suddenly, she breaks free from Kirumi's hold, casting Kirumi aside and screaming as the woman darts to Maki, but Maki raises the baton and smacks the woman unconscious.

Then it's silent.

But this silence feels different from the silence she has faced when confronting the lying woman.

It dawns on Maki in that very moment, eyes glossing over the lying figure of the woman. All that she's faced in her past and all that has happened just now.

A conclusion that allows her to finally — _finally_ be at ease.

...Well, not just yet.

Maki darts her eyes instantly on her next target. She stomps her way over to certain silver haired woman and grabs the woman by the collar.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Maki screams at Kirumi, "I told you not to try and sacrifice yourself like that! We were supposed to work together!"

"We did, didn't we?" Kirumi raises a brow.

"In the fight, yes! But the plan was—"

"To follow through with the first offer, yes," Kirumi continues, "But I realized that we can use the other plan to our advantage at that moment."

"To sacrifice yourself?!" Maki shakes Kirumi furiously.

"Well, call it a wager," Kirumi smiles with a twinkle in her eye, "I wagered that you would come save me, regardless. Because I trust you."

And with that, Maki falls silent to Kirumi's smooth words. Her words and need to call Kirumi stupid for going through with the plan and taking a leap of faith was skewered completely by her bashfulness. Kirumi… trusts her? She trusted her that much to take such a slim chance of survival? Maki was completely stunned.

But her need to plant a kiss on Kirumi's lips in that moment was stronger than her shock because in that moment, she is just happy that Kirumi is okay. And that Kirumi trusted her that greatly.

When they part from one another, Maki lets go of Kirumi's collar go and flings her arms around Kirumi.

Muttering quietly into the crook of the maid's neck, Maki whispers, "I love you."

A hand holds the back of her head gently and closer to Kirumi.

"I love you, too."

That day, after hearing all the commotion from inside the room, Shuichi and the bodyguards that came with Kirumi and Maki hurried into the room to find the former Commander knocked out. Kirumi filled Shuichi on all that had happened, and immediately Shuichi asked for the head of the bodyguards to take the Commander under their custody.

When all the soldiers of the Regime had found out all that happened from Maki, to Maki's surprise, they seemed rather at ease. That's when one of the soldiers confirmed with Maki that what Saito said in the room was true: that after the encounter during the ball Saito took Maki's words to heart and began talking to people. As his words began to spread, more and more people began to believe in Saito's words, but they were all too afraid to speak against the Commander, and while Maki was frustrated at their inability to make a move, she held sympathy for them as well. Honestly, she was just happy that Saito would even think twice on her words, considering all that happened with losing his friend that night at the ball. From then on, the soldiers vowed to basically be new bodyguards for Kirumi as together they decide to make the ongoing battle between the Ultimates and the norms finally draw to a close.

She hasn't worn something so formal ever since the ball, now that she thinks about it. She couldn't even remember if it was this stiff when she wore the dress at the ball, but perhaps it was because this is a suit that it was all the more stiff. She doesn't really get why she has to wear something like this, but the other said that it was just for formalities — something that you just _had_ to do.

She has a couple of minutes before the big meeting, keeping an eye on the clock that hangs high on her wall, so she's been trying to review and repeat all that she wants to say and all the things she wanted to accomplish in the meeting. This was to be the big announcement for the greatest achievement they've made. Sure, it's been a couple of months (give or take) since they began to work, but now, it's coming true.

She keeps telling herself that she has to manage her files and review, but she knows full well that her mind is elsewhere — via the window she's been staring out of for the past half hour.

Maki rests her chin in her hand, as she watches birds fly past her window. The sky looks a brilliant blue that brings her tranquility without a single cloud to block the bright sun's ray.

There's a knock on her door, and Maki turns to look at the visitor.

The door clicks quietly and creaks open gently. In steps Kirumi, wearing a similar looking suit as Maki. There's a smile on the other's face as she holds the doorknob.

"Harukawa-san, are you ready?" Kirumi asks.

Perplexed, Maki looks up at the clock before looking back at Kirumi, "I still have a lot of time."

"You haven't organized your files?"

"I did. I'm just reviewing," Maki hops off the windowsill, as Kirumi walks over to meet Maki.

Kirumi places both of her hands on Maki's shoulders before smiling, "You do not have to worry, dear. I know you're nervous."

"…You read me way too easily." Maki rests her hand on one of Kirumi's hands.

"It's what I do best," Kirumi closes her eyes. "You will be fine, I assure you. We've been working on this together for so long. I am so happy that we can finally announce this."

"I'm just happy that we finally have a solution."

Kirumi rubs Maki's shoulders and look at the woman before her with eyes that speak _Oh you._

"Still, I can't help but wonder... Why me? I'm still an Ultimate you know." Maki looks up at Kirumi, and Kirumi sighs.

"Because you've grown up with these people. You know them better than anyone. You know the way they feel and that's why your voice is the strongest for their opinions." Kirumi argues, squeezing Maki's shoulder tightly, "You'll do just fine."

"Alright. Alright I get it." Maki winces at the tight grip on her shoulder. Then she admits with a blush creeping on her face, "But I'm happy that we'll be working together more."

"If there's anything I want more, it would be to work together always," Kirumi reaches to hold Maki's hands before placing a kiss on Maki's forehead.

The two gaze upon each other, joy and love expressed so easily on their face to each other. If it weren't these two, their expression wouldn't have been readable.

"Hey… Toujou?" Maki asks.

"What's the matter?"

"How much time do we have left?" Maki asks in concern.

Kirumi checks her watch, "Just a couple of minutes. I suppose we should head over, yes?"

"Oh… then…" Maki tucks some of her hair behind her ear before leaning in towards Kirumi, lips put together and pecking Kirumi's lips. She doesn't speak another word after that touch, too embarrassed.

Kirumi only smiles at the gesture, "I love that despite how long we've been together, you still get embarrassed when you kiss me."

"Shut up…" Maki hides her face in shame into her hands.

"It's no problem," Kirumi leans in and kisses Maki's lips, and the feeling is so warm that Maki feels ethereal in that brief moment.

Stunned, Maki just watches as Kirumi walks towards the door of her office.

Kirumi turns back to Maki, "Well, shall we go, new representative?"

Maki's lips quiver into a slight smile and nods before walking to Kirumi.

At the door, she looks back out the window, back to the cloudless sky and the shining sun.

How cliche did the scene feel to her — that the sunlight shines greatly today of all days.

But she doesn't mind it because she knows that from today on, it will be peaceful under that warm and sunny light.


End file.
